Roosevelt, however, relied more upon the information furnished by two American officers, who reported "that various revolutionary movements were being inaugurated." On October 10, 1903, the President wrote to Dr.Albert Shaw, of the "Review of Reviews": "I enclose you, purely for your own information, a copy of a letter of September 5th, from our minister to Colombia.

I think it might interest you to see that there was absolutely not the slightest chance of securing by treaty any more than we endeavored to secure.

The alternatives were to go to Nicaragua against the advice of the great majority of competent engineers--some of the most competent saying that we had better have no canal at this time than go there--or else to take the territory by force without any attempt at getting a treaty.

I cast aside the proposition made at the time to foment the secession of Panama.

Whatever other governments can do, the United States cannot go into the securing, by such underhand means, the cession.