Office of the Historian

815.24/30

The Secretary of War (Weeks) to the Secretary of State

Washington, March 11, 1925.

My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have your letter of February 26, 1925 (LA 815.24/26),13 relating to the purchase by the Provisional Government of Honduras of 10 Lewis machine guns, 250,000 rounds of ammunition for such guns, and 3,000 Russian rifles equipped with bayonets and cleaning rods.

Appropriate steps have been taken to complete the sale to the Government of Honduras, as suggested by the State Department, and instructions have accordingly been issued to prepare for delivery and shipment the following Ordnance property:

  • 10—Lewis Machine Guns, Cal. .30, M–1917 . . at $282. 67 each
  • 250,000—Cartridges, ball, Cal. .30, M–1906 . . at $18.00 per M.
  • 3,000—Russian Rifles, Cal. 7.62 m/m, with bayonets and cleaning rods . . . . . . . . at $3. 60 each

To the above prices, which are f. o. b. point of storage, should be added 5% to cover overhead, packing and handling charges. The total sales price of this property is $19,033.00.

A contract will be prepared for execution by the Minister of Honduras, Senor Don Louis Bogran, on behalf of his Government. This contract will provide for delivery to Honduran representatives as follows:

(a)
Machine Guns at the Raritan Ordnance Reserve Depot, Metuchen, New Jersey.
(b)
Ammunition at the Schenectady General Reserve Depot, Schenectady, New York.
(c)
Russian rifles at Benicia Ordnance Intermediate Depot, Benicia, California.

This contract will provide for payment at 3 months, 6 months and 9 months, in accordance with the terms suggested in the State Department letter of the 25th ultimo, as follows:

  • $10,000.00 on June 15, 1925;
  • $5,000.00 on September 15, 1925;
  • $4,033.00 on December 15, 1925.

It is suggested that information be obtained from the Honduran Legation as to the date when the representatives of Honduras will [Page 322] take delivery of this property. It is further suggested that the payment orders on the Consul General of Honduras at New York, to be delivered as outlined in the State Department’s letter, be delivered upon execution of the sales contract or at the time when notice is given that the Government of Honduras is ready to take delivery.

Sincerely yours,

John W. Weeks
  1. Not printed.↩