File 838.77/115.
Minister Blanchard to
the Secretary of State.
No. 30.]
American Legation,
Port au Prince,
January 18, 1915.
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 26, I have
the honor to forward herewith copy and translation of the note from the
Foreign Office under date of January 13, 1915, notifying this Legation
that unless the basis of an agreement, at least, was arrived at before
January 20, that day would mark the end of the suspension previously
accorded.
It will be observed that the Minister of Foreign Relations explains this
action on the part of the Government by the fact that, [Page 547] since October 6 last, no propositions of
agreement have been submitted and that an indefinite delay would cause
grave prejudice to the interests of the State.
It will be further noted that the Minister of Foreign Relations expresses
the hope that before January 20 the National Railroad Company will have
decided to yield to the efforts which “the Department of State … has not
failed to make to bring it to an arrangement.”
With reference to the above, I verbally reminded Mr. Borno that at the
time that these negotiations were being had with the then Minister of
Foreign Relations, Mr. Désert, he declined to accept the intervention of
the Department of State in the settlement of this difference, claiming
it to be contrary to the contract which, on its face, precluded
diplomatic intervention, granting, on the ground of international
courtesy, the request for a suspension made in the name of the National
Railroad Company of Haiti—as reported in my telegram of October 14 and
my dispatch No. 12 of October 16, 1914.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Minister Blanchard.
Foreign Office,
Port au Prince,
January 13, 1915.
Mr. Minister: By its memorandum of October
6, 1914, the Legation of the United States requested from the
Department of Foreign Affairs a delay up to December 28, of the same
year, in the procedure of adjudication of the contract of the
National Railroad of Haiti.
In granting, by pure courtesy, the delay requested, my Department
declared, in its reply of October 12, 1914, that this assent was
made under the express reserve that, if in the interval no
understanding was come to between the parties concerned, they would
reserve their rights in same and similar state.
On December 24 last, the Legation of the United States having
expressed the desire of the American Government to obtain a new
delay, my Department on December 26 decided to consent to a delay up
to a date to be fixed later, but stipulating that all things should
remain as they are and that, if in the interval no understanding was
come to between the parties concerned, the proceedings would
continue in conformity with the contract which binds the Haitian
State and the National Railroad Company of Haiti.
For the reason that from October 6, 1914, up to this date no
proposition of agreement has been presented by the Company, and as
an indefinite delay would cause grave prejudice to the interests of
the State, I have the honor to bring to your knowledge that, after
January 20, unless, at least, the basis of this agreement has been
settled, the Haitian Government will be forced to carry out the
executioon pure and simple of the contract of concession in that
which concerns the procedure of adjudication.
I hope, Mr. Minister, that from now to January 20 next the National
Railroad Company of Haiti will have decided finally to yield to the
efforts which the Department of State, in conformity with the
memorandum of October 6, from your Legation, has not failed to make
to bring it to an arrangement “including readjustment of contracts
and possible shortening of route resulting in saving and advantage
to the Government.”
In that legitimate hope, I beg [etc.]
