611.5831/28: Telegram

The Minister in Sweden ( Morris ) to the Acting Secretary of State

91. Your 34, March 11, 6 p.m. In an informal conversation with the Foreign Office concerning the abrogation of the Consular Convention of 1910 Baron Hamilton72 expressed the surprise of the Swedish Government that this treaty should be abrogated in its entirety considering that the Swedish Minister in Washington had made it known to the State Department in a note September 25th [24th], 1919, that the Swedish Government was willing to accept the [Page 213] abrogation of the articles of the Consular Convention inconsistent with the Seamen’s Act, and to bring about this end it was proposed to Minister Ekengren by the Department of State in informal conversation that a provision should be inserted in the new treaty of commerce and amity to take the place of that of 1827, providing that the offending articles 11 and 12 of the Consular Convention of June 1, 1910, should cease to exist. The Swedish Government was preparing to cable the acceptance of this term when the decision of our Government to abrogate the Consular Convention as a whole reached it. The Swedish Government intimated that it would be willing for the Legation to withdraw its note of March 13th based on Department’s 34, March 11, 6 p.m., but that if the Government of the United States is not desirous of so doing, the Swedish Government is anxious to enter on negotiations as soon as possible for treaties to take the place of those of 1827 and 1910.

Morris
  1. Baron C.F.H. Hamilton, of the Swedish Foreign Office.