Rivas , Minister of Foreign Affairs, Managua, Nicaragua to Señor Rivas, December 8, 1873

Mr. Williamson to Señor Rivas.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of the 21st ultimo, in which you inform me of the probable sale of the American steamer Montejo to the government of Costa Rica, and that said steamer is to be used for hostile purposes against the other allied states of Central America. Your excellency also asks my intervention in this affair. There is no law of the United States which prohibits the owner of the Montijo from selling her, and I have therefore no authority to interfere. But I am glad to be able to say to you, that my information is the sale is not likely to be consummated, and if it is that the Montijo is too small and too old a craft to be useful as a vessel of war. I am also happy to congratulate your excellency on the promised disappearance of the threatening clouds of war which seemed to hang over Central America. Doubtless you have learned from the government of Guatemala that I am en route to Costa Rica in the interests of peace. I shall take pleasure in advising you of the result.

I have the honor to be your excellency’s obedient servant,