711.12155/1146

The Secretary of State to the Mexican Ambassador ( González Roa )

Excellency: I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency’s note No. 3625 of September 26, 1934, to the Department’s reply of October 2, 1934,17 and to prior correspondence, in relation to the desire of your Government that the International Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico, undertake to determine the sovereignty with respect to certain lands on the left bank of the Rio Grande near the town of Presidio, Texas.

Further careful study has been given to this matter by the Department, as well as by the American Section of the Boundary Commission. This study reveals that not only are the areas in the vicinity of Presidio obscure and uncertain with respect to their status, but that there are several islands among those surveyed and the nationality of which was once determined by the joint action of Commissioners Emery and Salazar which are believed to have now disappeared or to have become attached to mainlands on one bank of the Rio Grande or the other. There are likewise believed to exist other areas between Quitman Canyon and the Gulf of Mexico the status of which appears not to be definitely known, thus rendering ineffectual the fundamental principle of a clearly established water boundary between the points mentioned. In view of these conditions this Government would be disposed to join with Your Excellency’s Government in issuing instructions to the Boundary Commission of such scope as to embrace a joint investigation by the Boundary Commissioners of the entire water boundary between Quitman Canyon and the Gulf, with the view of “determining the status of the above-mentioned islands, as well as to determine whether or not there are any areas which may be bancos subject to the action of the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of existing boundary conventions.

Since it would be in the interest of both Governments to know with definiteness the status of all such areas, including those situated near Presidio, I have the honor to request that Your Excellency be good enough to inform the Department whether your Government would be disposed to join this Government in issuing instructions to the Boundary Commission in the sense above indicated.

Accept [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
R. Walton Moore
  1. Latter not found in Department files.