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HONDURAS.

MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT, MANUEL BONILLA, TO THE

File No. 815.032/7.

CONGRESS.

[The message of the President, Don Manuel Bonilla, was read to the Congress of Honduras January 1, 1913, and transmitted to the Secretary of State January 8, 1913, by the American Minister, Mr. White. The following is the only passage referring to the United States:]

[Translation-Extract.]

I must mention the very cordial relations which my Government cultivates with the American, European, and some Asiatic nations, among which are prominent those that exist with the United States of America, due in large measure to the fact that the main import and export trade of Honduras is with that nation, and that the chief foreign enterprises established in this country are also American, immigrants and contractors of that nationality arriving here constantly on all kinds of business and being always heard and often heeded, and if not heeded oftener than they are the fault lies not with the Government but with the contractors themselves.

During the past year the cooperation of Honduras was asked for six international congresses, all held in the United States. I should have liked to see the country represented in all of them, but owing to the importance of the matters to be treated and in order to comply with the kind invitations extended, but we were able to send representatives to only two of them.

We were also asked to participate with our products in the International Rubber Exposition opened last September in New York, and we have been officially invited to the International PanamaAmerican Exposition to be opened in San Francisco in 1915, in order to take part in which you will be asked to appropriate the necessary

funds.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of my Government will give you a detailed account of the matters just referred to and of all those connected with our relations with the United States; but I can not pass over in silence the visit made to Honduras by Mr. Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State of that great nation, in March of last year [1912], for which visit I was so grateful, which I so highly appreciated, and in response to which and in order to express at the same time thanks for so signal a demonstration of cordiality and deference, I accredited to Washington an extraordinary mission charged with conveying the gratitude of my Government for the visit.

I must likewise not refrain from mentioning a fact which, while it caused alarm at first, subsequently afforded a patent demonstration

not only of the cordiality of the relations existing between this Government and that of Washington, but also of the spirit of rectitude and justice which actuates the decisions of the latter. I refer to the case of the National Railroad, which you at your last session ordered restored to the nation because it was being illegally and unduly administered by a person who was its lessee but who had no right to keep it in his possession for his own exclusive benefit.

The details of what occurred will be communicated to you by the Secretaries for Foreign Affairs and of Fomento and Public Works, so that it will suffice for me to recall the fact that when the Political Governor of Cortés, in pursuance of orders from the Executive, proceeded to take possession of the railroad by virtue of an inventory and previous notice to the agent of the ex-lessee to participate in the delivery, the Commander of the American war ship Petrel, anchored in the waters of Puerto Cortés, landed sailors of the crew of his ship to take possession of the railroad pending receipt of instructions from Washington and Tegucigalpa. This gave rise to a protest on the part of my Government, made to the American Legation established in this capital, on account of the violation of the national territory and owing to the acts committed by the Commander of the Petrel, who, in compliance with immediate orders from the Washington Government, reembarked his forces, declaring that the act was performed under his exclusive responsibility and without the authorization of his Government, as was confirmed by the Minister of the United States in this capital, who, on this occasion as on all others, has taken special pains to maintain and even strengthen the bonds of sympathy and cordiality which happily unite us with the Republic of the North. The Government has likewise claimed for the Public Treasury the revenues from the wharf and lighthouse of Puerto Cortés, illegally held to the detriment of the revenues of the Republic and which are at present administered by the proper revenue office.

DEATH OF PRESIDENT MANUEL BONILLA AND ASSUMPTION OF THE PRESIDENCY BY VICE PRESIDENT FRANCISCO BERTRAND. File No. 815.001 B 64/9.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Tegucigalpa, March 21, 1913.

The American Minister announces the death of President Bonilla and states that Vice President Francisco Bertrand has assumed the Presidency and informs the Minister that the Cabinet Ministers will support him and no complications are anticipated. The Minister has advised the American consulates and the Commander of the American warships in Honduras.

WHITE.

File No. 815.001 B 64/10.

The Minister of Honduras to the Secretary of State.

[blocks in formation]

MR. SECRETARY: With profound sorrow I discharge the duty of informing your excellency that, on the 21st instant, General Don Manuel Bonilla, President of the Republic of Honduras, died at Tegucigalpa.

I renew [etc.]

ALBERTO MEmbreño.

File No. 815.001 B 64/9.

The President to the President of Honduras.

[Telegram.]

THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, March 22, 1913.

The Government and people of the United States of America join me in offering heartfelt condolences in the great loss which has been sustained by the Republic of Honduras in the lamented death of His Excellency, President Bonilla.

File No. 815.001 B 64/10.

WOODROW WILSON.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister of Honduras.

No. 6.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 24, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 22d instant by which you officially convey the sad intelligence of the death at Tegucigalpa of President Bonilla.

The President, to whom the information has been conveyed, has, in a telegram to President Bertrand, expressed the sincere condolences of the people and Government of the United States in this sad bereavement which has befallen the Government and people of your country, as well as his personal sympathy.

Accept [etc.]

ALVEY A. ADEE.

File No. 815.001 B 64,/16.

The President of Honduras to the President.

[Telegram-Translation.]

TEGUCIGALPA, March 24, 1913. The Government and people of Honduras join me in thanking Your Excellency and the Government and people of the United States for their very sincere expressions of sorrow for the death of President General Bonilla. Will Your Excellency accept our gratitude.

FRANCISCO BERTRAND.

File No. 815.001 B 64/17.

The Minister of Honduras to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF HONDURAS,

Washington, April 19, 1913.

MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to transmit to your excellency the following cable message which I received last evening from the President of Honduras:

TEGUCIGALPA, April 18, 1913,

Sumptuousness of the obsequies of the never-to-be-forgotten President, General Bonilla, gratifying. Please express gratitude of Honduran people and Government and my own to His Excellency the President of the United States, VicePresident, Secretary of State and Diplomatic Corps. Most cordially,

BERTRAND.

It affords me pleasure to carry out the foregoing instructions of my Government, and in so doing I renew [etc.]]

ALBERTO MEMBREÑO.

File No. 815.001 B 64/17.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister of Ilonduras.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 30, 1913.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed note of the 19th instant giving the text of a telegram which you have received from the President of Honduras expressing appreciation of the attendance of the President, the Vice President, the Diplomatic Corps and the Secretary of State at the religious services held in this city on April 18th in memory of his late Excellency the President of Honduras.

The President and Vice President desire me to say that they were glad to show their respect for the late President Bonilla by being present at the Requiem Mass said in his memory and to convey to President Bertrand their appreciation of the friendly feeling expressed by the President, Government and people of Honduras.

I also beg to assure you that the expressions of the President and Vice President voice the Secretary's feelings toward the late President Bonilla and the country over which he so worthily presided.

Accept [etc.]

File No. 815.001 B 46/2.

J. B. MOORE.

The Minister of Honduras to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF HONDURAS,
Washington, May 6, 1913.

MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to transmit to your excellency a copy of the autograph letter by which His Excellency Señor Doctor 140322°-F R 1913-38

Francisco Bertrand announces his elevation to the Presidency of the Republic of Honduras to His Excellency the President of the United States.1

I beg your excellency to be pleased, if you deem it expedient, to arrange the manner in which I may have the said letter reach its high destination.

I renew [etc.]

ALBERTO MEMBREÑO.

File No. 815.001 B 46/2.

No. 141.]

The Secretary of State to the American Minister.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 16, 1913. SIR: I inclose, with office copy, a letter addressed by the President to His Excellency Francisco Bertrand,' acknowledging His Excellency's letter of April 1 last in which he announced his assumption on March 21 last of the Presidency of the Republic of Honduras and his entrance upon the duties of that office.

You will forward the copy to the Foreign Office and deliver the original in the manner most agreeable to His Excellency.

I am [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:

J. B. MOORE.

RECOVERY BY HONDURAS OF THE NATIONAL RAILROAD OF HONDURAS AND THE WHARVES AT PUERTO CORTÉS FROM THE LESSEE, AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES.

File No. 815.77/76.

The Secretary of the Nary to the Secretary of State.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY,

Washington, January 29, 1912. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith. for the information of the Department of State, a copy of a cablegram, dated January 27, 1912, from the Commanding Officer, U. S. S. Petrel, in which it is stated that there are well founded rumors that the Honduran Government, upon assuming control February 1st, intends to take charge of railroad now leased to American Company, and that it is deemed advisable for the Petrel to remain at Puerto Cortés, Honduras.

I have the honor, further, to state that instructions, by cable, were issued on January 28th to the Commanding Officer, U. S. S. Petrel, to remain at Puerto Cortés at his discretion.

GEORGE VON L. MEYER.

1 Not printed.

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