File No. 838.51/453.
Minister Blanchard to the Secretary of State.
Port au Prince, December 18, 1915.
Your December 16, 4 p.m. Appropriations voted by the Haitian Congress for this is as follows:
| Gourdes. | Dollars. | |||
| (1) | Pay and rations of the President’s guard | 273.474.33 | ||
| (2) | Salaries of the President, the Government and Government officers | 2.322.246.07 | plus | 83.451.87 |
| (3) | Pensions and life annuities | 148,668.37 | “ | 550.00 |
| (4) | Rents | 81,291.68 | “ | 3,150.00 |
| (5) | Subsidies to schools, public services, etc | 65,475.00 | “ | 1,950.00 |
| (6) | Other expenses | 346,449.49 | “ | 123,278.67 |
| (7) | Indemnities, and office expenses of the Legislative Body | 4,800.00 | “ | 84,000.00 |
| Total | 3,242,404.94 | “ | 296,380.54 | |
| of which have been paid | 774,047.24 | “ | 121,719.67 | |
| There remains due | 2,468,357.70 | “ | 174,660.87 | |
| The former amount converted into American Currency at 440 per cent, giving | 457,103.28 | |||
| Making a total still due of | $631,764.15 |
Of this amount the Haitian Government considers $500,000 to be urgently required to pay the balance of salaries, pensions, rents and indemnities of the months of October and November, 1915, and the full amount for December. Also the arrears on the budget for the year 1914–1915, notably salaries of September, 1915, which have not been paid in full in the provinces.
The Haitian Government attaches much importance to its being put in position to pay before Christmas arrears of 1914–1915, for which provision has been made in the loan now under negotiation.