Office of the Historian

811.822/65: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Colombia (Philip)

Washington, October 16, 1919, 2 p.m.

Your September 12, 11 a.m.

Lighthouses were built and in operation in June, 1919, on the Cays of Roncador, Serranillo, and Quita Sueno, in the belief that they appertain to the United States under Guano Act.73 The Colombian Minister here has expressed the opinion that erecting lighthouses without consulting Colombia has had an unfortunate effect on situation surrounding new proposed subsoil agreement there, and offered to submit a memorandum, presumably to explain Colombia’s position, at a more propitious moment. In view of your October 4, 10 a.m., you may assure the Colombian Government that this Government will be pleased to hear any arguments it cares to make with respect to these cays but it is hoped that for the moment the questions of major importance like that of the new proposed subsoil agreement and the Treaty of 1914 as modified may take precedence.

Lansing
  1. 11 U.S. Stat. 119.↩