Chargé Bliss to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Buenos Aires, December 28, 1910. The President returned last night; approves your December 19. Argentine minister for foreign affairs is instructing Argentine minister at Lima to act with representatives of the United States and Brazil in accordance with your December 22, to Petropolis, and at the same time to telegraph minister for foreign affairs of Ecuador in a like sense. Minister Combs to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN LEGATION, BLISS. Lima, December 29, 1910. Argentine and Brazilian colleagues and I presented the proposal of mediators, which minister for foreign affairs of Peru will submit to President of Peru and council of state. President of Peru and minister for foreign affairs of Peru personally assure me submission to The Hague entirely acceptable. Minister for foreign affairs of Peru declares that statement quoted by Mr. Fox in December 27, to effect minister for foreign affairs of Ecuador stated that Peruvian minister at Quito had desired direct arrangement was through a misunderstanding, as Peruvian foreign office had never entertained that view. Repeated Quito. Minister Fox to the Secretary of State. COMBS. [Telegram.-Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Quito, December 30, 1910. Regarding Comb's December 29, I simply ask the department to await developments, pointing to the fact that the Peruvian minister here to-day, through Brazilian minister, has asked the withdrawal of the police guard over the Peruvian legation which has been stationed there since the attack on that legation last April. Brazilian minister has arranged informal and unofficial conference for next week at his legation between minister for foreign affairs of Ecuador, Peruvian minister, Colombian minister, Chilean minister, and myself, the subject to be discussed being the possibility of a direct arrangement between Peru and Ecuador of their boundary. controversy. Fox. [To be continued in Foreign Relations, 1911.J File No. 23286/1. FRANCE. FLOODS IN FRANCE. President Taft to the President of France. THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, January 27, 1910. Is there any manner in which, through the National Red Cross or otherwise, appropriate expression could be made of the sympathetic distress with which the people and Government of the United States learn of the reported calamities which floods are causing your beautiful and historic capital, as well as in the Provinces of France? Meanwhile I offer you the sincerest sympathy and the most ardent wishes that the cause of these disasters may soon abate. WM. H. TAFT. File No. 23286/1. The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Bacon. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 27, 1910. Mr. Wilson informs Mr. Bacon of the sending of the telegram which the President has addressed to-day to the President of the French Republic and says that the National Red Cross state they would be prepared to cable $5,000. Directs Mr. Bacon to telegraph for their information whether this would be advisable and acceptable, and if so, when and how it should be transmitted. Mr. Wilson inquires as to the general situation, and asks if there has been any suffering on the part of Americans. File No. 23286/1. Ambassador Bacon to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, January 28, 1910. Mr. Bacon says he called at the Foreign Office this morning and expressed the deep sympathy of the Government and people of the United States for the dreadful calamities caused by the flood, and inquired if it would be perfectly agreeable to the French Government to receive contributions from American citizens to aid the sufferers many offers of aid having been cabled him from the United States. He says he was assured that such funds would be gratefully received, and that they should be sent to the French Government through the embassy. Mr. Bacon says the American chamber of commerce already has received subscriptions of over 150,000 francs, including 100,000 from J. P. Morgan & Co. of New York. Mr. Bacon adds that he can not learn of any Americans having suffered, but that some, including himself, have been compelled to move on account of the water backing up from sewers and drains and flooding cellars and kitchens. Mr. Bacon adds that the Associated Press dispatches seem accurately to describe conditions, which grow worse as the water rises. The President of France to President Taft. [Translation.] PARIS, January 28, 1910. The sympathy expressed by Your Excellency, both in your own name and in that of the American people, in the grievous circumstances we are undergoing, profoundly moves us. From the heart I thank you. Your ambassador came to announce the generous intentions of the American colony of Paris, and received the assurance of the gratitude with which we shall receive through him the subscriptions of all Americans for the sufferers. A. FALLIERES. File No. 23297/1. Ambassador Bacon to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mr. Bacon states that Red Cross remittances to the French Government should be sent through the embassy, and that if there is a preference as to the channel of distribution it should be indicated. For instance, he says, if the French Red Cross is preferred, it should be so indicated, and he adds that this society is well organized, responsible, and efficient. File No. 23286/1. Ambassador Bacon to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mr. Bacon reports that it is believed that the crisis has been reached in the rising of the Seine. He says the river has fallen a little since Friday, but not before bursting dikes and flooding large and thickly settled islands in the suburbs, and while it is impossible to estimate the consequences of the disaster, it is believed that damage to crops, communities and factories will amount to hundreds of millions of American dollars in addition to conditions in Paris. He states that he visited several of the Red Cross stations which are engaged in relieving individual suffering, and that food and clothing were being supplied to all holders of identification tickets from officials of the district, and that he was much impressed with the admirable organization which made it possible to begin such effective work at once. Mr. Bacon says the Red Cross seems to have the confidence of the Government, and that the prefect of the Department of the Seine and the minister of trade and commerce have both spoken to him of the effective organization. The stations, he says, are in charge of ladies who have taken examinations and who have been in charge of such work for years, and that distribution is being also effectively made by the prefect of the Department of the Seine through local officials with whom he is constantly in personal touch. Mr. Bacon asks that the Red Cross be informed that the French Government would be pleased to make distribution of funds through any agency suggested by the donors, and that Louis Kloptsch be informed that his telegram was gratefully received. He adds that he can learn of no Americans in want or trouble except some inconvenience, and says he expects to be able to transmit in a day or two from 500,000 to 1,000,000 francs. File No. 23297/4. The French Ambassador to the Secretary of State. FRENCH EMBASSY, Washington, January 30, 1910. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I thank you most sincerely for your personal letter of yesterday, conveying to me news of the state of the inundations in Paris and of the steps taken, in such a generous and friendly spirit, by the Chief of the State, by his representative in Paris, and by other American well-wishers of my country. I beg you to receive the expressions of my gratitude for all that has been done. Every Frenchman will cherish in his heart the souvenir of President Taft's words of sympathy and of the help offered by him to the sufferers in case any were desired. Believe me, etc., File No. 23297/7. JUSSERAND. Ambassador Bacon to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] 2 AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mr. Bacon reports Red Cross and various agencies of the Prefect of the Department of the Seine are still engaged in work of feeding, clothing and housing flood sufferers, and says the work of drying and disinfecting is well underway, but that large districts are still under water. 1 Not printed. 2 The American Red Cross, Christian Herald, and others contributed large sums toward the relief of the flood sufferers. PRESENTATION OF STATUE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON BY PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA TO PEOPLE OF FRANCE. No. 58.] The Secretary of State to Ambassador Bacon. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 18, 1910. SIR: I transmit herewith a copy of a letter which has been received from Mr. James Mann, chairman of the commission appointed by the governor of Virginia to present, on behalf of the people of that State to the people of France, a reproduction in bronze of the statue of George Washington made by Jean Antoine Houdon, a bill providing for this gift "as an expression of Virginia's cordial admiration and loving regard" having been recently passed by the general assembly of Virginia. I also inclose a copy of a letter from Gov. Mann, advising the department officially of the action taken by the general assembly and of the appointment of Col. James Mann as chairman of the delegation, Mr. Don P. Halsey and Mr. F. W. King as his associates, who will proceed to France as representatives of the people of Virginia, to make suitable presentation of the statue. The department feels confident that you will take pleasure in informing the foreign office of this contemplated courtesy which the people of Virginia desire to extend to the people of France, and if it is the pleasure of the Government of that country to accept the gift for its people, as it doubtless will, the department would be glad if you would arrange for a suitable location, the approximate time for its unveiling, and such other details as may be found necessary for the presentation. The department will also be gratified if you can meet the members of the delegation upon their arrival at Paris with the replica, and upon the occasion of the unveiling simply introduce the chairman, who will make the address presenting the statue. It has been pointed out to the governor of Virginia that the gift should be made as coming from the people of the State of Virginia to the people of France rather than as a gift from the State to the Republic. It is the desire of the department that you lend your hearty cooperation toward carrying out the wishes of the people of Virginia, and that arrangements to that end may be made at an early date. I am, sir, etc., [Inclosure 1.] P. C. KNOX. Mr. Mann to the Secretary of State. NORFOLK, VA., April 9, 1910. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that at the recent session of the General Assembly of Virginia a bill was unanimously passed setting forth the historic friendship and the cordial relations which have existed for more than a century between the people of Virginia and the people of France and directing that a reproduction in bronze be made of Houdon's famous statue of Washington, and that the same be presented to the people of France "as an expression of Virginia's cordial admiration and loving regard." It was further provided that a commission of three be appointed by the governor of Virginia to present the said reproduction of said statue, on behalf of the people of Virginia, to the people of France. Pursuant to this enactment the governor appointed as commissioners James Mann, Don P. Halsey, and F. W. King, and directed that they proceed to France and make the presentation in the name of the State of Virginia. |