File No. 711.21/234.
Minister Thomson to the Secretary of State.
Bogota, March 7, 1914, 9 p.m.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has today handed me Colombia’s reply13 to the proposition of your February 28, 11 p.m., consisting of lengthy reasons on behalf of this Government accepting other modifications, but insisting on equal treatment for Colombian merchant marine, an indemnity of $30,000,000 with an annuity of $250,000 for fifty years, suggesting addition of the words “or which may be occupied” after the word “occupied” in Paragraph 2 of Article II, and substitution of the word “convenient” for the word “necessary” of Paragraph 4 of Article II, and lastly insisting on inclusion of Paragraph 2 of Article IV of Legation’s telegram of February 5, 5 p.m.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs asks me to submit the above to you.
It is not [sic] my intention to refuse to consider the concession for the Colombian merchant marine, and to repeat the assurance I have [Page 150] already given to the effect that, if and when all other details are settled, Colombia may count on an increase in the indemnity.
As regards the above-mentioned modifications to Article II, I shall be very glad to receive instructions thereon.
Would Paragraph 2 of Article IV of the Legation’s February 5, 5 p.m., be acceptable to the Department if the following provision is added: “It is likewise understood that Colombia releases and discharges Panama from all obligations for the payment of any part of the external and internal debt of the Republic of Colombia”?
Out of courtesy to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I decided to submit the above for your consideration, and I shall await instructions before making final reply. * * *
- For the text see the Minister’s despatch No. 59 of April 15, inclosure 1.↩