862.857/55
The Panamanian Ambassador (Boyd) to
the Secretary of State
[Translation]
No. D–66
Washington, February 16,
1940.
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.]
[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.]
