File No. 312.51/124.
The French Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Washington, May 16, 1915.
Mr. Secretary of State: Under date of February 11 last your excellency to whom, under instructions of my Government, I had applied for such information as might be in your possession respecting the seizure by Carrancistas of French arms stored in the custom house at Vera Cruz and placed in the custody of the American authorities when landed, informed me that it appeared from a report of the Consul of the United States in that city that the said munitions of war had been confiscated in spite of a promise given to the Consul of France that they would be allowed to go back to France.
My Government, to which I had forwarded the information, informs me that it can not look unconcerned upon the abstraction of arms that belonged to it, had been landed with the assent of the American authorities and were intended to be used for protection in case of dire necessity, of which there is as yet no indication that there will be none.
The Government of the Republic would be very thankful to your excellency if you would, using the influence the Government of the United States enjoys with the Mexican chiefs, present to General Carranza the remonstrance which this unwarranted seizure in violation of promises received calls for and ask that the French arms thus confiscated be returned. In any event and at the very least it would be important to lay where it belongs the responsibility for that grave irregularity.
Be pleased [etc.]