File No. 811.5241/80
The Secretary of War to the
Secretary of State
War Department,
Washington,
May 18, 1914.
Sir: Referring further to communication from
your Department of April 13, 1914 in relation to the applicability to
Porto Rico of the Treaty of March 2, 1899, between the United States and
Great Britain, concerning the tenure and disposition of real and
personal property, I beg to inclose herewith a copy of a communication
bearing on the subject from the Governor or Porto Rico, to whom the
matter was referred by this Department.
It will be observed that the Governor is of the opinion that there is no
objection to the extension and application of this Convention to Porto
Rico. In the light of the facts given by him, and no reasons to the
contrary being apparent, the Department concurs in this opinion.
Very respectfully,
[Inclosure]
The Governor of Porto
Rico to the Bureau of Insular
Affairs
Government House, Porto Rico,
San Juan,
May 9, 1914.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your indorsement of the 20th ultimo on a communication
under date of April 13 from the Counselor of the State Department,
for the Secretary of State, to the Secretary of War, inclosing
copies of correspondence between the Department of State and the
British Embassy at Washington, on the subject of the applicability
to Porto Rico of the Treaty of March 2, 1899, between the United
States and Great Britain concerning the tenure and disposition of
real and personal property, all of which papers are returned
herewith in accordance with your request.
In reply to the inquiry made I will state that I am of the opinion
that there is no objection to having extended and applied to Porto
Rico the provisions of the convention as to tenure and disposition
of real and personal property entered into on March 2, 1899, between
the United States and Great Britain, as the present substantive laws
of Porto Rico allow substantially the same rights as are allowed by
this convention, and the only changes which will have to be made are
changes of procedure, also taking into consideration the fact that
almost all of the British colonies and possessions in the West
Indies have acceded to said convention, as appears from a note by
the Department of State, inserted at page 378 of the “Compilation of
Treaties in Force,” prepared and printed under resolution of the
Senate of February 11, 1904.
Respectfully,
[Page 286]
Message from the President to the Senate
The White House,
Washington,
April 12, 1916.
To the Senate:
To the end that I may receive the necessary authority of the Senate
to give, in conformity with clause 3 of Article IV of the Convention
relating to tenure and disposition of real and personal property,
concluded March 2, 1899, between the United States and Great
Britain, notice to the Government of Great Britain that the
provisions of the said Convention are extended and applied to the
island of Porto Rico, I herewith transmit a report by the Secretary
of State, with accompanying papers, on the subject.
