812.00Sonora/374: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico (Morrow)
185. Department has been approached by National City Bank and Equitable Trust Company, both of New York, on behalf of Banco de Mexico, some of the branches of which appear to have been ransacked by rebel forces to extent of about two and one-half million pesos in gold and silver currency.
As a result of oral request made yesterday Treasury Department has issued instructions to Collectors of Customs along border to detain temporarily pending possible institution of attachment proceedings all gold and silver specie exported from Mexico into the United States by rebel element. Collectors have been instructed to notify Mexican Consuls along border of any cases attempted importation into the United States of gold and silver by rebels.21
Mexican Embassy here has been informally advised foregoing. It is suggested that you may wish to bring it also to the attention of the Foreign Office.
- In telegram of April 1, 1 p.m. (not printed), the Department instructed the consular officers at Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, and Agua Prieta to notify the Department, United States Customs officials, and duly accredited consular representatives of the Mexican Federal Government on border of any proposed shipments to the United States of gold or silver specie by persons not authorized by the Mexican Federal Government (812.515/339a).↩