723.2515/3272a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson)
18. I have been advised that President Leguia was to present to Ambassador Figueroa yesterday, at 5 p.m., the report of the engineers who recently visited Arica. Although this report is not presented by President Leguia as a proposal of settlement, nevertheless, it serves as a basis for discussion, and I understand that it was the intention of the President to discuss the matter with the Chilean Ambassador.
Although I do not know all the details of the matter, nevertheless, the synopsis which I have received leads me to feel that the report offers a very equitable basis for a settlement. This report is [Page 730] given by President Leguia to the Chilean Ambassador after most painstaking, thorough, and careful investigations, and is the result of the long and persistent friendly influence which I have exercised for a period of months. I very much hope, therefore, that the Government of Chile will give most careful consideration to this proposal, and will study it in the most sympathetic manner. You will understand, of course, that it has not been an easy matter to persuade President Leguia to go even this far, which very closely approaches the point of view which the Government of Chile has expressed. It is my personal feeling that this offers a fair basis of settlement, and I trust that Chile will consider it so.