Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.

Con el más cuidadoso interés me impuse del contenido de la nota número 208, fechado el 22 del actual, en que Vuestra Excelencia se sirve proponer á mi Gobierno, por conducto de esta Embajada, las bases de un acuerdo para el mantenimiento del status quo en El Chamizal, así como las que pudieran ser establecidas para la solución por medio de un arbitraje, de la cuestión relativa á la soberania de ese territorio. Vuestra Excelencia se sirve manifestarme que el Departamento de Estado considera que un nuevo Tratado de Límites al que sirviere de base la proposición mexicana no tendría efectos beneficos suficientes para justificar su negociación.

Desde luego, me apresuro á afirmarle á Vuestra Excelencia que mi Gobierno, deseoso de llegar á un acuerdo pronto y justificado en esta cuestión, como lo ha demostrado por sus gestiones incesantes, tomará en consideración inmediata las proposiciones de Vuestra Excelencia, que le comunico hoy mismo, y que en la resolución que dé estará inspirado por sentimientos de justicia de amistad hacia el Gobierno Americano.

y

En espera de las instrucciones que solicito, debo limitarme á acusar recibo de su nota á Vuestra Excelencia, y á hacer votos por que se llegue á un acuerdo definitivo que concilie los intereses de la justicia y sirva para robustecer los sentimientos de cordial amistad entre nuestros respectivos Gobiernos.

Con este motivo, me complazco en reiterar á Vuestra Excelencia las seguridades de mi más alta y más distinguida consideración. F. L. DE LA BARRA.

Excelentísimo Señor PHILANDER C. KNOX,

Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América,

Washington, D. C.

[Translation.]

EMBASSY OF MEXICO

TO THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WASHINGTON, March 24, 1910.

No. 42.

Most Excellent Sir:

I have read with thoughtful interest the contents of your note No. 208 of the 22nd instant by which Your Excellency is pleased to propose to my Government through this Embassy the bases of an agreement for the maintenance of the status quo in El Chamizal as well as those that might be set for the solution by means of arbitration of the question relative to the sovereignty of that territory. Your Excellency is pleased to say that the Department of State does not think that a new Treaty based upon the Mexican proposition would be of a mutual benefit sufficient to justify its negotiation.

I hasten to assure Your Excellency, here and now, that my Government desirous of arriving at an early and just agreement on this question, as shown by its constant efforts, will give immediate consideration to Your Excellency's propositions which I am forwarding this very day and that the resolutions that it will take will be prompted by sentiments of justice and friendship toward the American Government.

Pending the receipt of the instructions I have asked for, I must confine myself to acknowledging the receipt of Your Excellency's note and to making wishes for the conclusion of a final agreement which will subserve the ends of justice and tend to strengthen the sentiments of cordial friendship between our respective Governments.

On this occasion, I take pleasure in renewing to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration. F. L. DE LA BARRA.

Most Excellent Mr. PHILANDER C. KNOX,
Secretary of State of the United States of America,

Washington, D. C.

En virtud de instrucciones especiales de mi Gobierno, tengo la honra de acudir á Vuestra Excelencia á fin de que, si por parte del Gobierno americano no hubiere inconveniente, se den las instrucciones que corresponden al Comisionado de Límites de los Estados Unidos para que, de acuerdo con el Mexicano, proceda al fallo y á la consiguiente eliminación de veintrés nuevos bancos encontrados en las investigaciones que acaban de hacerse en los trés últimos meses en el curso inferior del río, entre Río Grande City y el Golfo de México y que no están incluidos entre los cincuenta y nueva ya eliminados y monumentados conforme á la Convención de 1905.

Renuevo á Vuestra Excelencia las seguridades de mi más alta y distinguida consideración.

Under special instructions from my Government I have the honor to have recourse to Your Excellency to the end that the American Government will, if it sees no objection thereto, issue appropriate instructions to the Boundary Commissioner of the United States directing him to proceed, jointly with his Mexican colleague, with the adjudication and elimination of twenty three other "bancos" found in the course of the investigations made during the last three months in the lower part of the river between Rio Grande City and the Gulf of Mexico, which are not included

in the fifty nine that have already been eliminated and monumented in accordance with the Convention of 1905.

I renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.

F. L. DE LA BARRA.

Excellency:

Mr. Adee to Señor de la Barra.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, April 16, 1910.

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 102, of the 5th instant, and to inform you in reply that the Department has, in accordance with the request of the Mexican Government, issued instructions to the American member of the International Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico, to proceed, jointly with his Mexican colleague, with the adjudication and elimination of the twenty-three other bancos found in the course of the investigations made during the last three months on the lower part of the river between the Rio Grande City and the Gulf of Mexico, which are not included in the fifty-nine that have already been eliminated and monumented in accordance with the Convention of 1905.

In this connection the Department would observe that the American Commissioner has recommended that the two Governments instruct their respective Commissioners to proceed to the decision of the other cases now pending before the commission, particularly the three important bancos cases near El Paso, to the end that these bancos may be monumented and finally eliminated. This Department is prepared to give the instructions requested, if no objection is perceived on the part of your Government, and the matter is therefore brought to Your Excellency's attention with the request that, if agreeable to your Government, the Mexican Commissioner be instructed to proceed jointly with his American colleague to the decision of all pending cases. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.

ALVEY A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.

His Excellency, Señor DON FRANCISCO LEON DE la Barra, Ambassador of Mexico.

Señor de la Barra to Mr. Knox.

EMBAJADA DE MÉXICO

EN LOS

ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA.

WASHINGTON, 16 de abril de 1910.

Número 153

Excelentísimo Señor:

Refiriéndome á la nota de Vuestra Excelencia, número 208, fecha el 22 de marzo último, relativa á la cuestión de la soberanía en El Chamizal y en cumplimiento de instrucciones especiales de mi Gobierno, tengo la honra de informar á Vuestra Excelencia que la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores de mi país hará, de toda preferencia, el estudio de las proposiciones contenidas en la nota de Vuestra Excelencia á que me refiero y que, tan pronto como sea posible, se dará á Vuestra Excelencia conocimiento del resultado, que tendrá por fin poner término al asunto de El Chamizal.

Reitero á Vuestra Excelencia las seguridades de mi más alta consideración.

F. L. DE LA BARRA.

Excelentísimo Señor PHILANDER C. KNOX,

Secretario de Estados de los Estados Unidos de América,

Referring to Your Excellency's note No. 208 of March 22 last, relative to the question of sovereignty in El Chamizal and complying with my Government's special instructions I have the honor to advise Your Excellency that the Department of Foreign Relations of my country will give precedence to the consideration of the proposals set forth in Your Excellency's note above referred to and that the result which will aim to bringing the Chamizal question to an end will be communicated to Your Excellency as soon as possible.