723.2515/3258: Telegram

The Ambassador in Peru (Moore) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

12. Your 10, February 11, 6 p.m. This morning I saw President Leguia and informed him of the contents of your telegram. The engineers returned the latter part of last week; but Sunday, Monday, [Page 727] and today are national holidays and President Leguia does not expect a preliminary report until the latter part of this week. The President intimated that he would make a proposal if the report was as he expected.

The situation in my opinion is simply this: Chile desires 10 kilometers north of the Arica-La Paz railroad and Peru does not want to give Chile any. I think that if a proposal is made by President Leguia, it will be based on the proposition of Chile’s receiving only one quarter of a kilometer north of the railroad line at certain points. At other points they could have the ten. I will keep you posted. I am urging haste.

Moore