740.00111A Neutrality Patrol/55
The Minister in Honduras (Erwin) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 4, 1940.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s instruction No. 221, of December 21, 1939,3 regarding the proposed establishment of a patrol of the waters adjacent to the coasts of the American Republics, I have the honor to report that this matter was taken up orally with the Foreign Minister immediately upon receipt of this instruction, on Thursday, December 28, 1939.
After giving Foreign Minister Aguirre an informal outline of the substance of the Department’s instruction, I supplied him with a written memorandum embodying the principal points. The Foreign Minister stated that because of the jurisdiction involved, he felt it [Page 51] necessary to discuss the matter with the Minister of War, Navy and Aviation, after which he would present it to President Carías for approval.
The Foreign Minister again emphasized the sympathetic attitude of his Government towards the objectives of the Declaration of Panama and his desire to afford full cooperation to crystalize the recommendations of the Panama meeting into recognized principles.
The Foreign Minister has today given in writing the full approval of his Government for the establishment of a patrol by United States Naval vessels of the waters adjacent to the coasts of Honduras and a general authorization for flights of United States Naval aircraft over the territory of Honduras, with such landings as may be necessary, and for the entrance into its territorial waters of vessels of the United States Navy.
Copies of my informal Memorandum regarding the proposed establishment of the patrol, and copies and an informal translation of Foreign Office Note No. 3987, of December 30, 1939, containing the acquiescence of the Honduran Government for the establishment of a patrol are enclosed herewith.5
Respectfully yours,