819.52/151
The Panaman Chargé (Lefevre) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: I have the honor to inform your Excellency that the 15 hectares of land which were provisionally ceded by the Government of Panama to that of the United States on Taboga Island by Decree No. 15 of the 12th of June, 1920, have already been occupied by the Canal authorities, and as the ceded area consists of various strips which run across several pieces of property in various parts, thus rendering useless the remainder lying between those strips, the loss caused by that occupancy has covered more than the 15 hectares mentioned, and the said losses should therefore be compensated together with the land that has been occupied.
On the other hand, as I informed Your Excellency in my note D–No. 39 of January 24 last, the Canal authorities occupied 125 hectares of land in Las Minas Bay, Province of Colon, and besides the necessity of applying the proper legal proceedings to that occupancy, justice demands that indemnity be paid in the amount they are worth as well as the improvements made thereon.
[Page 619]It so happens also that the Mixed Commission created under Articles VI and XV of the Canal Treaty and operating until the year 1920, when it terminated its labors, left pending various cases that must be settled.
In view of the foregoing my Government thinks that the time has come to reestablish the Mixed Commission referred to by Articles VI and XV of the Canal Treaty above mentioned, and I have received instruction to make a formal application in that sense which I now do by means of this note.
My Government also informs me that as soon as the reestablishment of the Mixed Commission above referred to is agreed to, it will appoint the two commissioners belonging to the Republic of Panama in that tribunal, and I take pleasure in making this known to Your Excellency for all pertinent purposes.
I avail myself [etc.]
- File translation revised.↩