BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN BRITISH HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000400090002-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 11, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: MEMO

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STA TE
Offico of the Geographer
NO. 29.
A" iP;AI; CONSULATE,
Belize, British Honduras, May 17, 1933.
1UBJCCT: Boundar Lino Between British Honduras and
Guatemala
AUNOliA31.,,.;
TH4 3F.GaiTAA-!:.
I have the honor to report
the delmareelion of that portion
that on May 8, 1933,
of the bounder/ line
between British Honduras and Guatemala, which has
_
never been surveyed, was begun. ,Ipparently, the
olaima of the Guatemalan Government, under the pro-
visions of the Oonvention of 1.859 with the British
Government, were waived, and permission was granted
to begin the survey and for the Government engineers
of British Honduras to enter Guatemalan territory.
Both Governments have agreed that this portion of
the boundary is a straight line, approximately 80
miles in length, between two established points,
one, on the Graoias a Dios branch of the aaratoon
River, the other, at Garbutt's tails, which is just
south of Benque Viejo and is the termination of
that part of the boundary which has been surveyed.
No Guatemalan engineers are partleipating in the
actual work of running the line, all of which is
being done by the surve;ors of the British Honduran
Government. The present plan is to start from each
end of the line and to finish in approximately six
months.
On
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On the above-mentioned date, the running of the
line was offioially begun from the southern end in
the presenee of the aurveyor General of British
Honduras, an aocredited engineer of the Guatemalan
Government and the Aloalde of the Village of Saratoon.
Further developments, with =net data oonoerning the
boundari, will be submitted when available.
715.
wmo/G.
Respeotfully yours,
William U. Cramp,
Amerloan Vioe Consul.
(In quintuplicate to Department.)
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GUATEMALA
.Treaty Series No. 9 (1932)
Exchange of Notes
BETWEEN HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN
THE UNITED KINGDOM
and
THE GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA
Boundary between
British Honduras and Guatemala
Guatemala, August 25/26, 1931
C., , n14,1 1,3 the .4)relelory ,,j jar Foreign Affairs
Pad,,,,nrui by Cownornd of Ills AInjeAly
LONDON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED By IIIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE
lo2 purchased directly from 11.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses:
.Adastral !louse, Kingsway, London, 1V.C.2; 120, George Street, Edinburgh;
York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff;
15, Donegall Stioare West, 141Iast;
or through any Hoot:wiles
1932
Pricc 2d, Ni
Cmd. 4050
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EX CHANGE OF NOTES BETWEEN HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERN-
MENT IN THE -UNITED KINGDOM AND THE GOVERNMENT
OF GUATEMALA RESPECTING THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN
BRITISH HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA.
Guatemala, August 25/06, 1931.
No. 1.
Mr. Grant 11'atNou to Selior SkinlICT Klee.
Brit ;sh Legal ion,
Your Excellency, Guatemula, August 23, 1931.
THE boundary het ween British Honduras and the Republic of
Guatemala was laid down in the convention between the Republic of
Guatemala and her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland,
signed at Guatemala OD the. 80th April, 1859,(3) article 1 (paragraph 2) -
of which defines the line as heginning at the mouth of the River
Sarstoon in the Bay of llonduras and proceeding up the mid-channel
thereof to Gm acias it Dios Fails; then turning to the right and continuing
m.
by a line drawn direct fro Gracias Dios Falls to arbutt's Falls on
the River Belize and from Garbutt 's Falls due north until it strikes the
Mexican frontier."
It was further stipulated by article 2 of the convention that " Her
Britannic Majesty and the Republic of Guatemala shall, within twelve
? months after the exchange of the ratifications of the iffesent conven-
tion, appoint each a commissioner for the purpose of designating and
?
marking out the boundary described in the preceding article. ?Such
commissioners shall ascertain the latitude and longittide of Gracias
Dios Palls and of Garbutt's Falls, and shall cause the line of boundary
between Garbutt's Falls and the Mexican territory to be opened and
marked where necessary, as a protection against future trespass."
In consequence joint commissioners were appointed in 1860 for this
purpose, who marked in bitu the position of the terminal points of the
southern section of the hormdary, namely, Garbutt's Falls and Gracias
Dios Falls. However, the full survey of the frontier was not COM -
pleted at that time.
The Governments of the United Kingdom and Guatemala are now
ciesirons of completing the demarcation. As a first step towards this
purpose, commissioners were reappointed, who met On the Sarstoon
River on the 16th January, 1929, and who,proceeded to inspect the
terminal points of the. southern section of did frontier: They inspected
(1) See plige 6.?
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the concrete monument on the north bank of the Sarstoon River at
Gracias ii Dios, 900 yards up-stream from the mouth of the Chocou
branch. On the 22nd January, 1929, they inspected the piles of stones
on either side of the Belize River at Garbutt's Falls, erected by the
joint commissioners in 1861. They decided to accept these marks as
indicating the exact position of tlic two terminal points. The marks
were then replaced by new concrete monuments, erected under the
supervision of the commissioners, the monument at Garbutt's Palls
being placed on the southern side of the river, and the former piles of
stones being demolished. The work, both 011 the Belize and the
Sarstoun Rivers, was duly recorded in a report signed by the said
commissioners
;it. the Sarstoon River on the 29th May, 1929, of which
I have received an original signed copy.
I have the human to inform your Excellency that I am authorised
by I his Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to confirm,
on
their behalf and iii t(C(ji(jijJce with article 3, paragraph 3, of the con-
vention,(2) this rewd as set forth in the accompanying copy, duly
certified by me, te accept the concrete monuments erected by the said
commissioners as correctly marking the terminal points aforesaid, and
In state that they would be glad to receive a similar assurance on the
part of the Governmetli of Guatemala.
The present note and your Excellency's reply will constitute the
agreement between the overt' mem s of the United Kingdom and
Guatemala in the matter.
1 avail, &c.
E. A. GRANT WATSON.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Report.()
AVE, the eommissioners appointed by the Governments of Guate-
mala and British Honduras to establish the permanent boundary marks
at Garbutt's Falls, Belize River and at Gracias a Dios Falls; Sarstoon
River, met at Fallavon, Belize River, on the 7th day of May, 1929.
On the 8th we proceeded to demolish the pile of stones erected at
Garbutt' s Falls by the commissioners of 1861, and to erect in its place
a concrete monument bearing on its top two copper plates marked
'? Guatemala '-' and British Honduras " respectively. We completed
this work on the 10th. From the nth to the 15th we were engaged
upon other work for our respective Governments, and on the 16th we
left for Belize, where we arrived on the night of the 20t1. Having
made necessary preparations, we left Belize for Sarstoon River on the
24th and arrived at Gracias It Dios Falls CM the-26th. There we erected
() See page 7. "
(3) For Spanish text, bee page 5,
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4 '3;
a monument similar to unit at Garbutt's Falls, Ivhich we finished OD
the 29t11. Wt then proceeded down the river to Sarstoon Bar, where
we separated.
Signed at Sarstoon River Bar this 29th day of May, 1929.
FERNANDO CRUZ,
Commissioner for the Government of Guatemala.
FEED W. BRUNTON,
thha,ac;. for the Government of Brit ish
11011,1111as.
No.
SW-11)1 S1, innz?r little to Alf. Grunt Watson.
Secretaria de Itelaciones Exteriures,
Suilur I inistro, Guatcausia, 26 de agosto de I 931.
TENGo el Iloilo'. (le reciho de la nota de Vuestra Excelencia,
fechada -el 2i-5 del 111e,E3 en curso.
El Gobierno de Guatemala esta de acuerdolui reconocer los mojones
de concreto erigidos en las caidas de Garbutt y en los rapidos de Gracias
a Dios, gue fijaron los comisionados de ambos Gobiernos, Seilores
Ingenieros Fernando Cruz y l''rederich W. Brunton, el 8 y 26 de may?
del alio de 1929, entre Li front era de Guatemala y Belice, begot) consul
en el ;tell: teValitada eli la did RIO S:11810011 I/01 ambos deleo.rados,
el dia 29 del mismo ine.s. Una copia del Acta, debidamente certificada,
t..4( acompaini conic, anexo.
EritOiS Alojones, terminados, formai) parte de la linea fronteriza
entre Belice y Li liepUblica du (Iuatemala.
Aprovecho, &c.
A. SKINNER KLEE.
(Translation.)
Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Your Excellency, Guatemala, August 26, 1931.
I UAW the honour to acknowledge receipt of your note of the 25th
instant.
The Government of Guatemala agree to accept the concrete monu-
ments erected at Garbutt's Falls and the Rapids of Gracias a Dios
which were set up by the commissioners of both Governments.
Engineers Fernando Cruz and Frederick W. Brunton, on the 8th and
the 26th May, 1929, CM the frontier between Guatemala and British
lionduras according to the report drawn up at the Sarstoon River Bar
by both i delegates on the 29th day of the same month. A copy of the
report duly certified is enclosed herewith.
These monuments, thus determined, form part of the boundary line
between British honduras and the Repub)ic of Guatemala.
I avail, &c.
A. SKINNER KLEE.
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Enclosure in No. 2.
infrascrito Subsecretariu d0 TicMelones Exterior certifica :
',aril el elect? lia tenido a In vista el eau que dice :
Lo s stiscritos eoluisionados y numbrados por Guatemala y
flunduras Britilnica para colocar los mojones definitivos en Gar-
butt's Falls y en Gracias a Dios, en el rfo Sarsttin DOS reunimos en
Fallabon, sobre el rio Bence, el site de mayo de 1929. El oclio
jnoeodin10 a demoler Li piramide de piedra tolocada ei Garbutt't;
Falls put- los Comisionados de 1861, y construimos en sit lugar 011
mommiento de cunereto que Devil en in earn superior dos plicas de
cobre que dice], respectivamente : ' Guatemala ' 3, ? British
llonduras.' Terminainos (hello trabajo el clia diez. Del onee al
quince nos ottipantos otros l5IUutOS que Dos habfan eneargado
nuestros gobiernos y el diez y sois salimos para Beliee, a donde
llegamus en la latch? del vejlILE. DeSplle6 de hacer los preparativos
del cast., el vei?ticuatro alimos de Beliceeli direcciOn ai rio Sayst
bitt
. y lleganws a los rapidos de tiraeias a Dios el veintiseis. Alli Ei0
construyo iui monument? sentejante al de Garbutt's Falls, el cual
(pled() Ierniiiiado ci veintinueve. Despues caminamos rio abajo
hasta la Barra del Sartsttin, en dcmde nos separamos. Firinanios
Li
presente en In Barra del Sarstan el 29 de may? de 19:?9. -
(ft FERNANno Cauz, Com. put- el Gob. de Guatemala. (f) FRED 1V.
BituNToN. Cum. put- el Cob. de llonduras British.". .
y pant agregarla Conn) at a In nota pi-oiler() 11443, de esta feelia,
extiendo, sell? y firm() In pi-eseine tertifieacion, eonfrontada COD SU
original, en la eindad de (.1u;deinala, a los vei?tiseis dfas del Ines de
agosto de mil noyecientos Ireinia y into.
J. Ell. G1.110N.
(Seal.)
(Translation.)
Tn? undersigned Sub-Secretary of Foreign Affairs certifies : that
he has seen the report, which states :
(For English text, see enelosure to No. 1, page 8.)
And in order to annex it as an enclosure to note No. 11443 of this date
1 draw up, seal and sign the present certificate, compared with its
original, in the City of Guatemala, on the twenty-sixth day of the
?nonth of August, nineteen hundred and Ihirty-one.
J. ED. GIRON.
(Seal.)
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APPENDIX.
CON V ENTION DET %VEEN 11EI: 111AJESTY AND TIlE liEPUBLIC EATEAJALA ,
DELA:VIVI: TI1E BOUNDARY OF BRITISH 110NDUltAS.(4)
Signed at Gualumulu, April 80, ]859.
Idtaitfic,a;mt,5 C./elm/wed i1 Gnutemu/a, September 12, 1859.]
WilEHEAs the boundary between I ler Britannic Majesty's settle-
ment and possessions in the Bay of Honduras, and the territories of
the Republic of Guatemala has not yet been ascertained and 'narked
out ; Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland. and the Republic of Guatemala, being desirous, with a
view to improve and perpetuate the friendly relations which happily
subsist between the two countries, to define the boundary aforesaid,
have resolved to conclude a convention for that purpose, and have
named as their plenipotentiaries, that is to say :
ller?Alajesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, Charles Lennox Wyke, Esquire, Her Britannic Majesty's
Charg?'Affaires to the Republic of Guatemala;
And his Excellency thu President. of the Republic of Guatemala,
Don Pedro the Aycinemt, Cuuncillw. of State, and Minister for Foreign
Affairs ;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full
powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded
the following articles :?
AETICLE 1.
?
it is agreed between Her Britannic Majesty and the Depublic of
Guatemala, that the boundary between the Republic and the British
Settlement and Possessions in the Bay of Honduras, .as they existed
previous to and on the 1st day of January, 1850, and have continued
to exist up to the present time, was and is as follows :?
Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of
Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias
Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn
direct from Graeias u Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize,
and from Garbutt 'S Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.
It is agreed and declared between the high contracting parties that
all thiTterritory to the north and east, of the line of boundary above
described belongs to Her Britannic Majesty, and that all the territory.
to the south and west of the same belongs to the Republic of Guatemala.
(4) Signed in English and Spanish. Spanish text not reprinted.
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ARTICLE 2.
her Britannic Majesty and the Republic of Guatemala shall, within
twelve months after the exchange of the ratifications of the present
convention, appoint each a commissioner for the purpose of designating
and marking out the boundary described in the preceding article. Such
r:
commissioners shall ascertain the latitude and longitude of Gracias
Dios Falls and of Garbutt's Falls, and shall cause the line of boundary
between Garhutt's Falls and the Mexican territory to be opened and
marked Ivliere la?Ttary, as a pl'OteCtiOn against future trespass.
AtericLE B.
The commissioners mentioned Ui the preceding article shall meet
at such place or places as shall lie hereafter fixed, at the earliest con-
venient period after they sludi have been respectively named ; and shall,
before proceeding lc any business make and subscribe a solemn
declaration that they will impartially and carefully examine and decide,
li, the best of their joileMent. and according to justice and equity,
without fear, favour, or atn?rtion to their own country, upon all the
matters referred to them for their decision ; and inch declaration shall
he entered on the record of their proceedings.
The commissioners shall then, and before proceeding to any other
business, name some third person to act as arbitrator or umpire in any
(asv or CaStli 11; Which they may themselves differ in opinion. If they
should not be aIde to iuiee itpOli the choice of such n third pertain, they
shall each Millie a pel'6011; and in each and every case in which the
rot innissioners may ditier in opinion as to the decision which they ought
to give, it shall be determined by lot which of the two persons so named
shall be the arbitrator or umpire in that particular case. The person or
persons so to be chosen shall, before proceeding to act, make and
subscribe a St leIMI declaration, in a form similar to that which shall
already have been inade and subscribed by the commissioners, which
declaration shall also be entered on the record of the proceedings. In
the event of the death, absence, or incapatity of either of such commis-
sioners, or of either of such arbitrators or umpires, or of his omitting,
or declining, or ce,aeino to act, another person shall be named; in the
same manner, to act in his place or stead, and shall make arid subscribe
such declaration as aforesaid.
lIer Britannic Majesty and the Republic of Guatemala shall engage
to consider the decision of the two commissioners conjointly, or of the
arbitrator or umpire, as the case may be, as final and. conclusive on the
matters to be ro.spectively referred to their decision, and forthwith to
give full effect to the same.
ARTICLE 4. ?
The cormnissioilers hereinbefore mentioned shall make to each .of
the respective. Governments a joint report or declaration, under their
hands and Seals, acoompanied with a map or maps in quadruplicate
(two for end, Government), certified by them to be true maps of the
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boundary defined in the present treaty, and traversed and examined
by them.
ARTICLE 5.
The commissioners and the arbitrator or umpire shall keep accurate
records and correct minutes or not et- of ell their proceedings, with the
dates thereof, and shall appoint and employ such surveyors, clerk or
clerks, or-other persuns, as they shall find necessary to assist them in
the transaction of the business which may conic before them.
The salaries of the commissiNiers shall be paid by their respective
GOVernIllellifi. The contingent expenses of the commission, including
the salary of the arbitrator or umpire, and of the surveyors and clerks,
shall be. defrayed in equal moieties by the two Governments.
ItTICLE G.
It is further agreed that the channels in the water-line of boundary
described in article ] of the present cenventiou shall be equally free
and open to the vessels and boats of both parties; and that any islands
?vhieh neiy he found therein shall belong to that patty On whose side of
the main navigablc.- channel they are situated.
A lITIOLE 7.
with the oh ject LA practically carrying out the views set forth in
the preamble of the present convention, for improving and per-
petuating the friendly relatioes which at present so happily exist
between thi t wo high coetraciing parties, they mutually agree con-
jointly' to use their best efforts, by tithing adequate means for establish-
nig the. easiest conennnication (either by means of a cart-road, or
employing the rivers, or both united, according to the opinion of the.
surveying ene?ineersh between the fittest place on the Atlantic coast,
near the se.ttiBement of Belize, and the capital of Guatemala ; whereby
the commerce of li`mgland on the one hand, and the material prosperity
of the Ilepuldie oe the other, cannot fail to be sensibly increased, at the
same time that the limits of the two countries being now clearly defined,
all further encroachments by either party on the territory of the other
\Yin be effectually checked and prevented for the future.
AlinCLE 8.
The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall
be exchanged at London Or nut (Thief hl as soon as possible within the
space of six months.
lu witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the
same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their .arms.
Done at Gnat einala, the thirtieth day of April, in the year One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
CllABLE-S LENNOX WYKE.
(L.S.) - P. DE AYCINENA.
6304 Wt.. ? Iwo 4j3;., F.O.P. 6749 G. 34c.
r-f
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