File No. 714.1515/8
The Minister of Honduras to the Secretary of State
Washington, February 19, 1917.
Mr. Secretary: The Republics of Honduras and Guatemala have been unable to demarcate the boundary of their territories. A commission of Hondurans and Guatemalans met last year, under the terms of a convention, to mark out the dividing line at points agreed on, and, at points not so agreed on, to draw maps showing the claims of both parties. The commission separated without having done anything, because Guatemala opposed any survey of the land lying beyond the line it had fixed itself, that is to say, would have the dividing line laid down wherever it desires. On June 30, 1916, the Government of Guatemala by a decree ordered the township of Amates to be established with territory lying largely in Honduras and in the possession of that Republic. The decree, which caused uneasiness in Honduras where it was regarded as an act of violence and which I made known to the Department of State, was not carried out in the end, thanks to the labors of the Minister of Guatemala here and mine.
Now, as your excellency will see from the four cablegrams of my Government of which a copy is enclosed, Guatemala again is trying to place by force authorities in parts of Honduras that have never been in dispute.
Furthermore, the Cuyamel Fruit Company which holds near the land in dispute very valuable agricultural property and would improve [Page 762] it by means of a railway to the Copán Department cannot carry on its work because prevented by the Government of Guatemala.
The Government of Honduras, in view of the foregoing and the urgency of the case bespeaks the good offices of your excellency’s Government to the end that the Government of Guatemala, its friend and neighbor, remain in statu quo so as to prevent armed conflicts and so as to enable the Cuyamel to carry on uninterrupted the work that is so beneficial to both countries.
I renew [etc.]