422.11G93/1037
The Minister in Ecuador (Hartman) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received July 2.]
Sir: Referring to Department’s telegram of May 28, 7 p.m.,35 in relation to unpaid portion of $859,740 interest arrears on bonds of the Guayaquil and Quito Railway Company, etc., I have the honor to inform the Department that, in full compliance with Department’s instruction, I addressed a note, No. 308, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs under date of June 3, 1918 [1919], of which I herewith enclose a copy (Enclosure No. I).36
[Page 191]Upon receipt of the answer thereto, I will cable the substance of its contents, and send a copy, with translation, by mail.
I delivered my note in person to the Minister, first, because of its importance, and, second, because I thought it advisable to hand him a Spanish translation of it at the same time. …
When I handed the note to the Minister, I stated to him that I was aware of the great amount of work in the Foreign Office, and that, as an act of courtesy to him, and to facilitate his labors in examining and answering my note, I had had prepared a translation which I hoped would be of use to him. He accepted it, and thanked me for it.
I also enclose, for the information of the Department, a clipping (Enclosure No. 2),37 from El Comercio, in its issue of June 5, 1919, containing an editorial dealing with the financial situation in Ecuador. The fact that this article appeared so soon after the delivery of my note to the Foreign Office has caused me to wonder whether it was inspired by the Foreign Office, and, if so, whether it is indicative of an adverse answer to the proposals contained in my note.
I have [etc.]