810.154/314
The Minister in Costa Rica (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 27.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction No. 21 of July 22, 1930,43b I have the honor to advise you of the arrival in San José on January 31, 1931, of Mr. W. E. James, of the Bureau of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture.
[Page 710]Mr. James was presented to the President and various Cabinet officers, particularly the Minister of Fomento, who has jurisdiction over road building. I am given to understand that the latter, as well as the President himself, in conversations with Mr. James, advised him that a communication would be directed to the Director of the Pan American Union, inviting the American engineers who are cooperating with the Inter-American Highway Commission, to come to Costa Rica at their convenience to undertake preliminary surveys of the proposed Inter-American Highway route, it being understood that the Costa Rican Government shall be put to no expense in connection with this preliminary survey.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has advised me today that he is only awaiting certain documents from the Minister of Fomento, when he will extend the written invitation to the Pan American Union, and it would therefore seem that the engineers may be undertaking the preliminary surveys in Costa Rica at a reasonably early date.
Mr. James returned to Panama on February 6, 1931.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed. See ibid., p. 285, footnote 99.↩