File No. 817.51/1020
The Secretary of State to Minister Jefferson
Washington, November 2, 1917, 4 p.m.
Your October 18, 3 p.m., October 12, 9 a.m. Financial plan and agreements signed by bankers and Enriquez, were sent from New Orleans to Bluefields October 26. Nicaraguan Chargé d’Affaires presented [Page 1147] note under direction of his Government requesting that 225,000 dollars from remainder of Canal funds be approved and cabled to Nicaragua for payment of back salaries. In view of statement made to Nicaragua that this Government would approve payment of sum apportioned for back salaries, as soon as financial plan and agreements were put in legal and binding form, Department replied to Mr. Enríquez, that it considered that conditions would not be complied with until Congress had given its definite approval, but that in view of Nicaragua’s statement as to her pressing needs, it would immediately approve payment of seventy-five thousand dollars to be applied to back salaries, the remainder to be approved immediately after Congressional approval was given.
This information was conveyed by telegram to Nicaraguan Chargé d’Affaires, who had gone to New Orleans in order to dispatch plan and agreements, he replied by telegram requesting, in the name of his Government that seventy thousand dollars be immediately cabled to Nicaragua through the usual channel of Brown Brothers and Company; this request is being complied with.
You are directed to inform Lindberg that he has been designated by Secretary of State to approve orders for disbursement of this sum.