reported by a joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, I have the honor to enclose herewith, in copy and translation, the text of the bill.' Yesterday I had a most satisfactory conversation with President Menocal, during a very informal call, regarding this measure. There was no occasion to remind the President of representations made to a former administration on this subject by the Department. Upon the subject being mentioned he instantly declared his belief that the measure would not pass Congress; he said he was endeavoring to have it killed because he wished Congress thus to dispose of it for the sake of the country's good name, but that if it passed he would veto it. The President said he had already released all of the "political" prisoners except a handful of men whose general records against law were bad. I have [etc.] File No. 837.13/25. WILLIAM E. GONZALES. AMERICAN LEGATION, Ilabana, December 20, 1913. In his message accompanying the amnesty bill the President said that he vetoed it because of its provisions covering common crimes. GONZALES. ZAPATA SWAMP CONCESSION.2 File No. 837.6112/25. No. 185.] The Secretary of State to the American Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 11, 1913. SIR: Referring to instruction No. 159, of October 28th last,3 on the subject of the Zapata Swamp concession, you are informed that the Department has had a number of conferences with Mr. Isaac K. Champion, representing the Compañía Agricultora de Zapata, the concessionaire of the proposed concession for the reclamation of the Zapata Swamp, and has now concluded its study of the matter. Mr. Champion, on behalf of the company, has stated that the company is willing and proposes to attempt to have the concession contract amended by the inclusion of new provisions in effect as follows: (1) A provision attempting, in advance of the proposed survey, to Not printed. 2 Continued from For. Rel. 1912, pp. 309–322. Id. 319. define more exactly the boundaries of the swamp. This refers particularly to the southern boundary, which has been represented by Mr. Champion to be a ridge of high land extending from the eastern to the western limits of the swamp along its southern side, separating the true fresh-water ciénaga from the salt-water marsh to the south of the ridge in the Zapata peninsula. (2) A substitute provision for the present provisions respecting the rights of the private owners of land within the territory of the swamp, the new provision to provide that the company shall have the right to drain such privately owned land, if not drained by the owners, for a price to be paid by the owners equivalent to the cost of the work of draining their land plus a profit to the company on this work of ten per cent. It is further understood that adequate provision will be made to protect the rights of the private owners with respect particularly to the assessment of this cost. (3) A provision to the effect that, irrespective of the general grants of privileges to the concessionaire made by the cencession contract, all merchantable timber on Government lands drained or to be drained by the company shall remain the property of the Government of Cuba. As these proposed amendments seem, under the Department's present information gathered from the conferences with Mr. Champion and corroborated by the report of the Consul General's investigation, to obviate the principal criticisms of the measure hitherto made, their incorporation in the concession law and contract would serve to remove the Department's objections to the project communicated to the Cuban Government at the time of the issuance of the Executive Decree of June 18, 1912. Mr. Champion has been informed of this present position of the Department in the matter and the observation added that this attitude by the Department should not, of course, be taken or used as an endorsement by the Government of the United States of the project as a commercial enterprise. Referring to the previous correspondence in the matter, you will address a note to the Cuban Foreign Office in the sense of the aforegoing. I am [etc.] P. C. KNOX. File No. 837.6112/25. The Secretary of State to the American Consul General. No. 321.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 11, 1913. SIR: The Department is in receipt of your despatch No. 674, of November 20th last,' enclosing a report by you on the matter of the proposed concession to the Compañía Agricultora de Zapata. Your No. 675, of November 23rd,' making an amendment to the report, has also been received. For. Rel. 1912, p. 321. An instruction was sent to Minister Beaupré on the 11th instant, informing him that Mr. Champion, on behalf of the company, has stated that the company is willing and proposes to attempt to have the concession contract amended by the inclusion of new provisions in effect as follows: [as in the foregoing instruction to the Minister.] Mr. Beaupré was further informed that as these proposed amendments seem, according to the information now before the Department, to obviate the principal criticisms of the measure hitherto made, their incorporation in the concession law and contract would serve to remove the Department's objections to the project communicated to the Cuban Government at the time of the issuance of the Executive Decree of June 18, 1912; and he was instructed to address a note to the Cuban Foreign Office in the sense of the aforegoing. Mr. Champion has been informed of this present position of the Department in this matter and the observation was made to him that this attitude of the Department should not, of course, be taken or used as an endorsement by the Government of the United States of the project as a commercial enterprise. I am [etc.] P. C. KNOX. File No. 837.6112/30. The American Consul General to the Secretary of State. No. 727.]. AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the Compañía Territorial de Zapata, the Cuban organization to which was given the concession for the drainage and reclamation of the great Zapata Swamp in the Provinces of Matanzas and Santa Clara, has transferred all its rights, privileges and property to an American corporation, organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, and capitalized for $5,000,000. The officers of this company state that the work of the survey of this great tract of flooded land will begin as soon as possible and that it will be done by an American firm of the highest standing and reputation. As soon as the engineering questions involved are settled the company purposes to begin the active work of reclamation through an extensive drainage system and to establish various enterprises in connection. There does not now appear to be any doubt as to the intent of this company to use every effort to forward this great reclamation project. Under even a measurably successful conclusion of the work there cannot fail to be great benefit to all property in the section, and incidentally to all Cuba. The detail of this work will be reported as soon as there is sufficient data upon which to base a comprehensive description. I have [etc.] JAMES L. RODGERS. 1 Id. 311. File No. 837.6112/32. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. No. 664.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, March 22, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith in copy and translation Decree No. 83, which revives the Zapata concession upon terms which seem to conform with the Department's previous objections. I have [etc.] A. M. BEAUPRÉ. [Inclosure Summary.] Decree No. 83 of January 31, 1913, repeals Decree No. 758 of August 14, 1912, which suspended Decree No. 556 of June 18, 1912; this renewal of the operation of No. 556 is made in view of the withdrawal of the objections that had been made by the United States] thereto, and in view of the amended interpretation to be given that decree, agreed to by the concessionaire, and here stipulated Tembodying the amendments mentioned in the instruction of January 11, 1913, to the American Minister]. File No. 837.6112/32, The Secretary of State to the American Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: The Department has received your No. 664 of March 22 last in which you enclose a copy and translation of Decree No. 83, reviving the Zapata concession upon terms which, you state, seem to remove the Department's previous objections. In reply I enclose a copy of the Department's letter of today's date to Mr. Isaac K. Champion, President of the Zapata Land Company. I am [etc.] [Inclosure.] For Mr. Bryan: ALVEY A. Adee. The Secretary of State to Isaac K. Champion. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 4, 1913. SIR: The Department acknowledges your letter of March 19, 1913,' in which you enclose a copy of the Gaceta Oficial of February 4, 1913, containing a copy of Presidential Decree No. 83, which appears to put in force Decree No. 556 of June 18, 1912, by accepting the modifications in the latter decree proposed by the Compañía Territorial de Zapata. The Department has noted your statement that "as agreed in discussing this matter with the State Department at Washington in accordance with my written communications to the American Legation at Habana, all the rights and actions acquired under this concession formerly held by the Compañía Territorial de Zapata, a Cuban corporation, have been duly and legally transferred and assigned to the Zapata Land Company, a corporation organized under the laws of 1 Not printed. the State of Delaware." Regarding this statement it should perhaps be observed that the officers of the Department with whom you conferred have no recollection of the agreement you seem to allege between the Department and yourself that the concession rights should be transferred to an American company. This would appear to be a matter which concerns only the concessionaire and the Cuban Government. I am [etc.] For Mr. Bryan: ALVEY A. ADEE. CONCESSION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE ACROSS THE ENTRANCE TO THE PORT OF HABANA; ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES. File No. 837.156/26. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. No. 683.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, March 16, 1911. SIR: Referring to my despatch No. 529 of December 23, 1910,' I have the honor to report that by Executive Decree No. 180, dated the 10th instant, published in the Official Gazette (No. 62) of March 15th, a concession has now been granted to one Arturo Dworzak to construct a steel bridge across the entrance to the port of Habana from the "Capitanía del Puerto" to the extreme south part of the fortress "La Cabaña." Work on the bridge is to begin within six months and must be terminated in fifty-four months without obstructing the channel in the meantime. I have [etc.] JOHN B. JACKSON. File No. 837.156/26. The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretory of War. DEPARTMENT of State, Washington, March 24, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a despatch from the American Minister at Habana in which he reports that by Executive Decree a concession has been granted to Arturo Dworzak to construct a steel bridge across the entrance to the port of Habana. I have [etc.] File No. 837.156/26. HUNTINGTON WILSON. The Acting Secretary of State to the American Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 24, 1911. SIR: The Department has received your No. 683 of the 16th instant in which you report that by Executive Decree a concession has been |