Ambassador Thompson
to the Acting Secretary of
State.
American Embassy,
Mexico, September 27,
1906.
No. 233.]
Sir: With reference to my dispatch No. 227a, of the 21st instant, I
confirm the embassy’s telegram of this elate to the Department of State
on the subject of the supposed order of the Mexican Government that its
gunboats seized American vessels under any and all conditions of weather
if within the 3-mile limit. [Supra]
For the further information of the department, I inclose herewith copies
and translations of Mr. Mariscal’s note of the 25th instant and the note
from the minister of war and marine therewith transmitted, containing
the assertions of the Mexican Government upon which the above telegram
was based.
I have, etc.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
The Minister of Foreign
Affairs to Ambassador Thompson.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, September 25, 1906.
Mr. Ambassador: Referring to previous
correspondence, I have the honor to transmit to your excellency,
herewith, a copy of a note I have just received from the secretary
of war and marine, informing me that, as your excellency and I
thought, the statement made by the Gulf Fisheries Company to the
Department of State, that there was a provision passed by the
Mexican
[Page 1097]
Government to
capture American fishing vessels entering into Mexican territorial
waters under any conditions of the weather, is unfounded; and that
the only order issued refers to vessels, whether national or
foreign, which may be caught fishing without the proper license,
within the territorial waters of the Republic.
It affords me pleasure to renew to your excellency on this occasion
the assurance of my high consideration.
[Subinclosure.—Translation.]
The Mexican Secretary of
War to the Secretary of Foreign
Affairs.
Department of war and marine, Mexico. This department received the
communication from that under your worthy charge, issued by the
bureau of America, Asia and Oceanica, under No. 557, dated 22d
instant, in which you were pleased to include the note addressed to
you by the ambassador of the United States, at this capital, stating
that Mexican gunboats are said to have been ordered to capture
American fishing vessels under any conditions of the weather, when
found within the territorial waters of Mexico, and asking for
information upon the matter.
In reply, I have the honor to say to you that the order issued by
this department upon the subject is, that the above-mentioned
gunboats shall visit and arrest any vessels, whether national or
foreign, when found fishing within the territorial waters without
any license from the Mexican authorities with power to issue the
same; and that no order has been issued to capture American fishing
vessels under any conditions of the weather within the limit of 3
miles, as stated in said note, nor has any vessel been denied the
right to take shelter in any port during a gale. If this assertion
should have originated from the capture of American fishing vessels
that have been effected, the same has no foundation, because the
latter vessel was captured while fishing within territorial waters,
and we have no information that the same took shelter into said
waters by reason of bad weather as it has been proved that the same
did not occur in the Gulf during that time. The above-mentioned
gunboats have again been instructed that they must only visit
national or foreign vessels which may be found fishing within
territorial waters and to capture and place the same under the
jurisdiction of the proper authority, if they do not have the proper
license.
I renew to you the assurance of my distinguished consideration.
Mexico, September 25,
1906.
G.
Cosis.
To the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs,
Mexico.
