File No. 812.6363/219
Compañia Petrolera Maritima, S. A. to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary: Since the foregoing letter and the annexed complaint were written the following telegram has been received from the company’s manager, Mr. McFarland at Mexico City, addressed to the counsel of this company.
Subsecretary Pastor Rouaix wrote Castelazo declining to answer our demurrer against cancellation of contract on new grounds without opportunity for defense provided in contract. Says incident is closed and that further letters futile. Castelazo says no outsiders can help. That all is up to you and for you to hurry to see Carranza.
This indicates the status of the matter before the Department at Mexico, and we have further information from the superintendent of the company, Mr. B. H. Buchannan, in Tampico, that the Government has just sent its deputies to the Islet of Buena Vista in the River Panuco and taken a complete inventory of the company’s property at the same time stating that the Government proposed to take possession of it.
This gives rise to the urgent necessity of some action to protect the property of the company from seizure, and we earnestly pray that you will request of the Mexican Government that the company’s property, including its tools, engines, boilers, houses, machinery, boats, barges, and the well in process of drilling at Buena Vista, and other property shall not be disturbed but shall be fully protected in the company’s possession until the company has had opportunity as herein requested to make its defense and its rights shall have been fully and finally determined.
Such action in our behalf is imperative or it is evident the property of the company will be appropriated or destroyed and irreparable damage will result.
Yours respectfully,