839.00/2615: Telegram
The Commissioner in the Dominican Republic (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—4:15 a.m.]
28. Department’s October 4, 5 p.m. paragraph 2. In view of the representations which I made to the members of the Commission in accordance with the advice which I received from the officers commanding the American forces of occupation, to the effect that conditions in the bandit country in the Province of Seybo were such that immediate withdrawal of all the American forces of occupation in that district would undoubtedly create disturbances, the Commission requested that one company of cavalry be retained at Chicharones in that province with a base of supplies at San Pedro de [Macoris], until such time as the Provisional Government should request their withdrawal and concentration with the other troops in Santo Domingo City. This request was of course agreed to by the Military Governor.
Since the Military Governor is inclined to interpret the instructions which he has now received from the Navy Department as a result of the letter received by the Secretary of the Navy from the Secretary of State, to mean that the American marines must be concentrated within three places notwithstanding the request of the members of the Commission above referred to, I should be glad if the Department would advise the Navy Department that this request of the Commission should be complied with as previously agreed.47 [Page 72] It is the intention of the Commission once the Policia Nacional Dominicana is recruited to its full strength by the end of December, to strengthen the forces of the Policia Nacional Dominicana in the Province of Seybo with the hope that when such steps have been taken the American forces can be withdrawn.
- Request complied with, Oct. 11, in letter to Secretary of the Navy, and the Military Governor so instructed by the Acting Secretary of the Navy, Oct. 12 (file no. 839.00/2622).↩