819.413 Columbus/24
The Minister in Panama (Davis) to
the Secretary of State
Panama, June 5, 1930.
[Received June
14.]
No. 81
Sir: Referring to the Department’s cablegram
No. 29 of May 29, 12 noon, authorizing me to inform the Panamanian
Government that it may remove the Columbus Statue which stands in front
of the Washington Hotel in Colon, I have the honor to transmit herewith
a copy of my note to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs on this subject,
together with copy and translation of his reply.
This note was delivered to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs a few hours
before he visited Colon to take part in a banquet honoring
[Page 718]
Commander Isaac C. Kidd, who
has been Captain of the Port of Cristobal for three years and who has
made many friends among the Panamanians. The Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, who has been the moving force for many years in claiming this
Statue for the City of Colon, manifested his appreciation at the
attitude assumed by the Department in this matter and announced the
delivery of the Statue at the banquet given in honor of Commander
Kidd.
The delivery of the Statue to the Panamanian Government has created a
very favorable impression throughout the Republic.
I am transmitting herewith a copy of an article published in the Star and Herald of June 3, relative to this
matter.3
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure 1]
The American Minister (Davis) to the Panamanian Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Arosemena)
Panama, May 31, 1930.
No. 35
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your
Excellency that I have communicated with my Government relative to
the Columbus Statue which now stands on the grounds of the
Washington Hotel in Colon, and I am pleased to report that my
Government has instructed me to advise Your Excellency that since it
appears that the monument is the property of Panama, the Government
of the United States agrees to its immediate removal from its
present site to any point that may be satisfactory to Your
Excellency’s Government.
Accept [etc.]
[Enclosure 2—Translation4]
The Panamanian Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Arosemena) to the
American Minister (Davis)
Panama, June 3, 1930.
D. D. No. 846
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to
acknowledge receipt of Your Excellency’s Note No. 35, in which you
inform me that the Government of the United States agrees that the
Columbus statue, which at present stands on the grounds of the Hotel
Washington, in Colon, be transferred to any other site which may be
desired by the Panamanian Government. I am greatly pleased by this
determination of the Government of Your Excellency, exponent of the
high spirit of justice in its relations with Panama, and I wish at
the same time to place on record the appreciation of the Panamanian
Government for the kind efforts of Your Excellency in this
matter.
I avail myself [etc.]
