File No. 312.11/288a.
The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador.
Washington, April 26, 1912—2 p.m.
The transport Buford, accommodations about 1,000 persons, ordered to Mexico for the purpose of getting in touch with conditions on the west coast as they affect Americans and their interests and to provide transportation for such Americans as can reach the ports of Topolobampo, Altata, Mazatlan, San Bias, Manzanillo, Acapulco, and Salina Cruz. At San Diego the Buford will take Guyant on board. The Department desires that the Embassy endeavor to have all Americans who may want to come away adequately informed. You may inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the foregoing and say in addition that the newspaper reports relative to orders to the Maryland are untrue and that it is hoped the Mexican authorities will do whatever they properly can to aid the Buford on its mission, and to have appropriate orders issued to the various officials concerned at the ports en route, and that no misconstruction will be placed upon its movements
On the afternoon of the 24th the gunboat Yorktown, accompanied by the collier Prometheus, sailed from San José de Guatemala in pursuance of orders issued to her prior to the receipt of your April 23, 2 p.m. It was thought that her small size and the fact that she was near by would keep her mission, which is to get in touch with the situation and to report, from seeming to have any offensive character. Out of deference to the Mexican Government and after a full and satisfactory report from you as to the advisability of such or any other action involving warships, the Department is prepared to have the Yorktown instructed not proceed to Topolobampo, but to continue to San Diego.
It seems likely that the French cruiser Descartes will arrive at some port on the east coast within the next few days. It is hoped that its arrival will break the shock to the Mexican mind of sending even a warship in case of necessity to the west coast.