File No. 811.34537 46. No. 2.] The Secretary of State to the American Minister. WASHINGTON, January 25, 1911. SIR: Referring to the Department's Nos. 114, of August 18, 1910, and subsequent correspondence regarding the desired enlargement of the United States naval station at Guantánamo, I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Navy, transmitting two copies of a chart showing the present limits of the station and the proposed extension, in accordance with the recommendation of the joint board of the Army and Navy. These charts are sent to you herewith under a separate cover. The Secretary of the Navy states that his department is of the opinion that the entire entrance to Guantánamo Bay should be under the control of the United States, including not only the west shore of the entrance, but also the waters at the entrance of the bay; and you will accordingly keep this point in view in such negotiations as may occur in future in relation to the matter. I am, etc. P. C. KNOX. File No. 811.34537/49. No. 623.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, February 11, 1911. SIR: Referring to previous correspondence in regard to the enlargement of our naval station at Guantánamo, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy and translation of a confidential note dated the 8th instant, which I received from Sr. Sanguily, the Cuban secretary of state, last night. In this note Sr. Sanguily reiterates what he has already said to me (dispatch No. 567, of Jan. 14) on various occasions. As will be seen, the Cuban Government understands why the enlargement is wanted, recognizes the necessity for it, and is practically ready to make an exchange for the land at Bahía Honda without considering the difference in size of the two areas concerned. For various reasons, however, and notably in order to make the exchange popular, Sr. Sanguily hopes that the American Government will be willing to make certain concessions which will appear to have a compensatory character and would be of effect in influencing public opinion. In his note the secretary calls attention to the fact that no reference is made in our proposal to the question of the jurisdiction of the entrance to the Bay of Guantánamo. I venture to suggest to you the advisability of making some arrangement which would be satisfactory to us, and at the same time agreeable to the Cubans, by which Cuban vessels entering a Cuban port would be (theoretically at least) spared the mortification of passing through what Sr. Sanguily called "American waters." The entrance to the harbor and the whole of the west shore would appear to be entirely dominated 1 Not printed. from the heights which are to be included in the new extension, and I think it might be possible for us to renounce the west shore and jurisdiction of a strip of navigable water along the western side of the channel, in the time of peace-with appropriate regulations in regard to anchorage and the construction of any buildings, etc., within the limits of the original leasehold-reserving to ourselves the right to occupy the land and close the port whenever considered necessary through the outbreak of hostilities. I make this suggestion with a hope that the Secretary of the Navy will reconsider his decision in the premises. I have, etc., * * * 1 JOHN B. JACKSON. [Inclosure.] The Cuban Secretary of State to the American Minister. [Translation-Extract.] No. 13.] HABANA, February 8, 1911. MR. MINISTER: In reference to the conversation which we had when your excellency brought me your note in regard to the new limits to be given to the Guantánamo naval station, it is a real pleasure to me to advise your excellency that the steps preliminary to the final transaction are being taken, with the observation at the same time that, according to said note, the suggestions that I had the honor to make to you concerning the jurisdiction of the waters must be dropped, since the limits proposed comprise the two mouths (the two shores of the mouth) of the bay mentioned. The form in which this negotiation, of such great interest to both Republics, has been put forward and is progressing an additional evidence of the good disposition of the United States and of the keen and sincere friendship with which Cuba responds encourages me to offer to your excellency the following points, the importance of which in the relations of the United States will not escape the perspicacity of your excellency. [Here follow references to two matters that appear in this volume under the titles "Claim for the cost of intervention in Cuba" and "Sovereignty of the Isle of Pines"; also reference to newspaper rumors of the possibility of a third intervention which, says the note, “although the act of unscrupulous speculators and business interests alarm and disconcert the nation, wound patriotic sentiment, and nourish misgivings and distrust in the minds of all." The note then suggests a clearing up of these three problems by A denial by the United States Government of intention to press the reported claim for cost of intervention; An agreement with Cuba concerning the sovereignty of the Isle of Pines; An agreement with Cuba explicitly defining the conditions "that shall govern the exercise of the right of intervention in the Cuban State"; for although the Platt amendment, the Appendix to the Cuban Constitution, and the treaty with the United States all express the ends, none of them define the conditions that may justly oblige the United States to intervene or Cuba to accept intervention. The note then proceeds:] I take the liberty to advise your excellency that the Cuban Government and the nation would see in all the declarations indicated a worthy and valuable compensation for the concessions contemplated in favor of the United States. The Government does not take into account the remarkable disproportion between the area of 50 caballerías at Bahía Honda, which the United States would renounce, and the considerably greater area at Guantánamo by which it would augment the station, because the Government is convinced that the United States is actuated to propose enlarging the area of the naval station not only by the obligations imposed upon it by the Platt amendment to protect Cuba's independence, but also by its own needs of self-defense and foreign policy. But the generous spirit of this point of view which Cuba adopts 1 The omission is printed under " Sovereignty of Isle of Pines," p. 136. authorizes it to hope to receive from the United States the compensation indicated, which would so fully satisfy public sentiment. I avail myself, etc., MANUEL SANGUILY. File No. 811 34537 50. No. 644.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, February 22, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt yesterday of the Department's instruction No. 238, of the 17th instant, and to state in order that any subsequent misunderstanding may be prevented that the whole question of the extension of our naval station at Guantánamo will remain in abeyance until some reply can be made in regard to the matters referred to by the Cuban secretary of state in his note of which a copy and translation were inclosed in my dispatch No. 623, of February 11. While favorably disposed toward granting what we want, the Cuban Government is anxious to obtain some real or apparent concession in return, which would contribute to make the extension, etc., popular. I have, etc., JOHN B. JACKSON. File No. 811.34537/51. The Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, February 28, 1911. SIR: 1. Referring to the Department of State's letter of the 16th instant,1 forwarding for the consideration of this Department a copy of a dispatch dated the 11th instant, with a translation of its inclosure, from the American Minister at Habana, with reference to the proposed extension of the naval station at Guantánamo, and with particular reference to the question as to whether or not it might be possible for this Government to renounce the west shore and jurisdiction of a strip of navigable water along the western side of the channel in time of peace, I have the honor to state that this Department is of the opinion that the military necessities connected with the naval base at Guantánamo are such as to render it inadvisable for the United States to surrender any of its jurisdiction over the shores and waters of the bay. 2. There are now two Army reservations on the western shores, where considerable work preparatory to fortification has already been done, and it is impossible to determine at the present time what other places on the shores future developments may make it necessary to fortify. 3. It is believed that the fact that jurisdiction has been explicitly granted to the United States, but that the ultimate sovereignty of Cuba is nevertheless acknowledged, makes the situation so clear that it will not be difficult to issue instructions to the commandant at Guantánamo that will effectually prevent all friction with the Cuban 1 Not printed. authorities and all causes of annoyance; and this the Department will undertake to do. G. v. MEYER. File No. 811.34537/53. The Acting Secretary of Navy to the Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, March 14, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department of State's letter No. 811.34537/50, of the 6th instant,1 inclosing for the information of this Department a copy of a dispatch No. 644 from the American minister at Habana, in which he reports that the question of the extension of the naval station at Guantánamo will remain in abeyance until some reply can be made in regard to the matters referred to by the Cuban secretary of state in previous correspondence on the subject. This Department, having expressed its opinion that the naval reservation at Bahía Honda should be offered as a concession in return for the proposed extension at Guantánamo, knows of no other concession within its province to recommend, and will be pleased to receive and consider any suggestion that might expedite the negotiations. BEEKMAN WINTHROP. File No. 811.34537/54. No. 700.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this morning of the Department's instruction No. 266,1 of the 21st instant, in which it is stated that the Acting Secretary of the Navy "knows of no other concession within its province to recommend" in return for the proposed extension at Guantánamo. What I am anxious to receive is instructions which will put me in a position to reply to the note from Sr. Sanguily. As yet only one of the points referred to in that note the jurisdiction over the entrance to the harbor-appears to have been considered. A survey has been made of the additional land desired by us at Guantánamo, in which speculators have already become interested, and the Cuban authorities will be ready to take definite action as soon as they receive the information for which the secretary asked. I have, etc., JOHN B. JACKSON, File No. 811.34537/54. No. 278.] The Secretary of State to the American Minister. WASHINGTON, April 12, 1911. SIR: The Department acknowledges the receipt of your dispatch No. 700, of March 25, 1911. 1 Not printed. In reply to that portion of Mr. Sanguily's note in which he refers to the claim for expenses incurred during the military occupation of 1906-1909, you will accordingly hand the Cuban secretary of state the following aide mémoire: Replying to the inquiry of the Cuban Government as to the release of Cuba by the President from any liability for the expeditures made by this Government in connection with the maintenance of the military forces of the United States in Cuba during the last intervention, it should be said that inasmuch as the Congress of the United States has never directed the President to make a demand upon Cuba for reimbursement of the expenditures by the Government of the United States, and inasmuch as the Executive has never made any demand or set forth any claim against the Government of Cuba for such expenditures, it would seem wisest to refrain from agitating the question at this time and meanwhile to permit the matter to rest where it now is. The Department hopes that with this information and that contained in the Department's instruction No. 2771 of this date you will be enabled to expedite the completion of the negotiations for the extension of the naval station at Guantánamo. I am, etc., P. C. KNOX. File No. 811.34537/56. No. 758.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, Cuba, April 17, 1911. SIR: With reference to the project to enlarge our naval station at Guantánamo, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a "Confidential memorandum" which I read to Sr. Sanguily, the Cuban secretary of state, this afternoon, and left with him at his request. This memorandum was compiled from several of the Department's instructions or their accompanying documents (I from No. 254,2 II from No. 278, and III from No. 277), and was presented to Sr. Sanguily as a reply to his confidential note of February 8, of which a copy was sent in my despatch No. 623. With regard to the progress of the negotiations, Sr. Sanguily said that the President and Government are ready to make the desired exchange of additional land at Guantánamo in return for the Bahía Honda release, and that the draft of a treaty in the premises is being prepared in consultation with the members of the senate committee on foreign relations. Some time ago a commission was sent to Guantánamo, but its report was unsatisfactory, and a new technical commission has now been named with instructions to study the limits of the proposed new concession on the spot, and to report upon the ownership and value of the land included therein and upon other pertinent matters. I have, etc., JOHN B. JACKSON. 1 This instruction is printed under Sovereignty of Isle of Pines, p. 136. |