871.6363/252
The Chargé in Rumania (Riggs) to
the Secretary of State
Bucharest, November 8,
1924.
[Received November 25.]
No. 678
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith, copy
of the Note which I have today handed to Mr. Filodor, Secretary-General
of the Rumanian Foreign Office, in the absence of Mr. Duca and in
conformity with the Department’s telegraphic Instruction No. 47 of
October 29th 4 P.M., regarding the refusal of the Ministry of Industry
and Commerce to grant permission to the Romano-Americana Company for the
installation of wells on concessions held by them previous to the
promulgation of the present Mining Law.
I am informed by the Company that they have not to date been able to
obtain any permits for the installation of wells under the circumstances
fully described in this Legation’s despatch No. 664 of September 26th
last.50
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The American Chargé (Riggs) to the Rumanian Minister for Foreign Affairs (Duca)
Bucharest, November 8,
1924.
No. 111
Mr. Minister: In accordance with
instructions received from my Government, I have the honor to inform
Your Excellency that, as a result of the regulations for the
application of the Mining Law and especially of Articles 113 and 192
of that law, the American oil interests operating in Rumania have
not, in spite of their requests addressed to the Ministry of
Industry and Commerce, yet been able to obtain authorization for the
installation of new wells on concessions obtained by them long
before July 4th 1924, date of the promulgation of the new Mining
Law, The Ministry of Industry and Commerce
[Page 643]
has made known that its decision is based on
the above mentioned regulations, approved on September 9th last, and
this in spite of the fact of the priority of the concessions in
question to the present law, and of the fact that their area is not
sufficient to permit the installation of wells at a distance equal
to or greater than 30 meters from their boundaries, without resort
to the measures stated in Article 113 of the Law.
My Government is greatly surprised at the application of Articles 113
and 192 of the Mining Law to concessions obtained previous to the
promulgation of that Law, inasmuch as this decision, if enforced,
will apparently render valueless rights duly acquired under the law
as it existed at the time of such acquisition. In view of the
repeated assurances that all acquired rights would be left
undisturbed, it is hoped that the Government of Your Excellency will
not persist in the attitude apparently adopted by the Ministry of
Industry and Commerce regarding the installation of wells on
concessions obtained by American oil interests previous to the
Mining Law of July 3rd 1924.
My Government likewise reserves the privilege of making such further
communication on this particular phase or on any other phases of the
Mining Law as may appear necessary.
I avail myself [etc.]
