[Guatemala.]
In 1859 the attention of the Guatemala government having been called to the arrangement which had been come to in Buenos Ayres for the exemption of the children of British residents from military service, Sir Charles Wyke5 entered into [Page 1340] communications with them with the view of securing a similar exemption for the children of British residents in Guatemala.
In a note dated the 17th of January, 1859, the Guatemala minister stated, “This government acknowledges that the children of British subjects born in this republic, and as such subject by our laws to fulfill the duty of Guatemalans, have also obligations that bind them by the origin of their parents to the country where said parents “were born. It acknowledges, likewise, that the discharge of these duties in a new country, and where the government and laws are also new, and not sufficiently firm, must be grievous in cases of civil war, and on account of the military service might bring with it some insecurity that might extend itself to the fathers of families and to the affairs of foreigners settled in the country, and might give rise to complications, or at all events to discussions that ought to be avoided. * * * Therefore, taking into consideration all the circumstances of the case, the government judges it very expedient to obviate by a resolution and a friendly understanding, all the difficulties caused by this inequality of conditions, and to remove for any future occurrence all motives of discussion; and taking into consideration that no serious difficulty presents itself for the reasons already expressed in the making some concession as regards the military service in favor of the sons of British subjects born in the republic, and who as Guatemalans are liable to perform their duties the same as the natives, acceding to the wishes of Her Majesty, is willing to consider them exempt from said military service until they reach the age of 21 years, and to agree that in all eases when they may he required to perform this service they can find a substitute.”
Sir Charles Wyke in forwarding a copy of this note to Lord Malmesbury remarked that this arrangement was more favorable than the one arrived at with Buenos Ayres, as it did not require that the substitutes should be foreigners.
1 2Costa Rica, Honduras, Salvador, and Nicaragua, also acceded to this understanding.