Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 2.djvu/673

 58 STAT.] PANAMA-TRANS-ISTHMIAN HIGHWAY ug. 31, 1940 Sept. 6, 1940 1593 August 31 and Agreement between the United States of America and Panama supple- September 6, 1940 menting the convention of March 2, 1936, respecting the Trans- rE. A. S.448] Isthmian Highway. Effected by exchange of notes signed at Washing- ton August 31 and September 6, 1940. The Secretary of State to the PanamanianAmbassador August 31, 1940 EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to invite Your Excellency's attention to the pro- visions of the Trans-Isthmian Highway Convention signed by repre- sentatives of the United States of America and Panama at Washing- ton on March 2, 1936, concerning which conversations have been 63Stat.1869. held with Your Excellency with a view to arriving at a mutually acceptable agreement as to the manner in which our two Govern- ments may best coordinate their efforts in the building of the Highway. In order to expedite the construction of the Trans-Isthmian High- way, which for the first time will complete the connection between the capital city of Panama with the other principal Panamanian city of Col6n, and for the purpose of facilitating the defense of the Panama Canal which is of such vital importance to our two countries, I have the honor to inform you that the Government of the United States is prepared to bear the full engineering cost for a dual highway and the construction cost for a twenty-foot roadway between the Madden Dam and Cativa. During the course of the conversations referred to above, it will be recalled that my Government indicated that it might be desirable for defense purposes to construct a highway capable of withstanding greater stresses and strains than was contemplated at the time the Trans-Isthmian Highway Convention was negotiated. My Govern- ment's offer mentioned in the preceding paragraph is therefore con- tingent upon the agreement of your Government to improve the construction specifications contained in Article IV of the Trans- Isthmian Highway Convention to permit of the use of such standards st - 1 and specifications as the United States may determine necessary for defense purposes. All other provisions of the Convention would of course continue to remain in full force and effect. In the course of the conversations between our two Governments with regard to the best way to cooperate in this matter, we also dis- cussed the bases of the arrangement under which the Government of the United States would, if its offer is accepted by the Government of Panama, make the engineering survey for a dual highway and con- struct at its own expense the twenty-foot roadway between the Madden Dam and Cativa. There is attached a memorandum dated August 29, 1940 embodying my understanding of the arrangement discussed during these conversations.

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