Riotté to This is a true copy, March 2, 1870

Mr. G. N. Riotté to Mr. Fish.

Sir: I have the honor of laying before you inclosed copies, respectively translation of the following documents, viz:

1st. Inclosure A, letter from her Britannic Majesty’s chargé d’affaires in Central America, Mr. E. Corbet, of January 25th last, in answer to my communication, of December 28th ultimo, on the case of Mr. and Mrs. M. Glenton.

2d. Inclosure B, note to the Nicaraguan government, of January 29th * ultimo, on the action of the directors of the Panama Railroad Company against Captain T. A. Douglass.

3d. Inclosure C, reply thereto by the government, of February 5th, with translation.

4th. Inclosure D, letter of General A. T. A. Torbert, United States minister in San Salvador, of February 21st last, on the importance of establishing a naval station of the United States on Tigre Island, Bay of Fomeca.

5th. Inclosure E, my reply thereto, of February 26th last.

I will permit myself to submit a few remarks on the subject of these two last notes. As you perceive from my answer to General Torbert, I do fully agree with his view. I will not attempt to argue the strategical and topographical side of the question. To do full justice to that, my colleague is more competent authority than I; and besides, a mere glance at the map, showing that in thé long-stretched and every day in importance growing western coast of America south of San Francisco, our country is destitute of even a good harbor of her own, let alone a naval establishment or place of refuge, if only for cases of accidents or disasters, will at once powerfully advocate General Torbert’s plan. There is another consideration in its favor, namely, the fact that not one of these Spanish North American republics, little Costa Rica excepted, until now has been able to erect on their dangerous coasts a single light-house. The pecuniary considerations entering into the question, I must deem it out of my sphere. But there is an international and political consideration eminently sustaining the plan. It cannot be denied that these republics, however slowly, and impeded by their political convulsions, are growing in commercial importance at a par with the increasing commercial facilities between them and the marts of the world and the demand of the civilized world for their valuable productions. This tends to give a more and solid growth to their productive energies and to their attractive power upon foreigners and particularly Americans; but it not less contributes toward imparting them with an idea of their importance among nations.

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