862.857/55

The Panamanian Ambassador (Boyd) to the Secretary of State

[Translation]
No. D–66

Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor to transmit to Your Excellency, herewith, the communication which the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Panama addresses to Your Excellency, in connection with a new violation of the Security Zone established by the Declaration of Panama and which is self-explanatory.

I avail myself [etc.]

Jorge E. Boyd
[Enclosure—Translation]

The Panamanian Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Communications (Garay) to the Secretary of State

Excellency: I have the honor to advise Your Excellency that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United States of Brazil, His Excellency Oswaldo Aranha, has sent me a cablegram which reads word for word:

“His Excellency Mr. Narciso Garay, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Panama City.

“I have to advise Your Excellency that on the 12 instant the German freighter Wakama was sunk by its own crew about 15 miles from the Brazilian coast when hailed by an English war vessel, obviously for purposes of visit and capture. As from the procedure of the English war vessel there results a hostile act classified as such by the 13th Hague Convention24 and committed in waters adjacent to the American continent which the American Republics have the right to keep free of any hostile act on the part of any belligerent nation, I desire [Page 696] to request Your Excellency to be good enough to consult with the other American countries in the manner of the precedent already established on the suitability of a collective protest against this new violation of the Maritime Zone which we undertake to preserve from the evils of war.

Oswaldo Aranha.”

In conformity with the request of the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs I have the honor to ask Your Excellency’s opinion as to whether your Government agrees on the suitability of a collective protest because of the acts reported in the message for Mr. Aranha above transcribed.

I greet Your Excellency [etc.]

Narciso Garay