811.73/235a
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador ( Geddes )
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I deem it my duty to call your attention to the following matter as presenting some possibilities of complication and misunderstanding unless fully understood beforehand and promptly treated.
The Western Union Telegraph Company, or one of its subsidiary companies, has recently applied for permission to land a cable at Miami, Florida, which is to connect at Barbados, or some point in that vicinity, with cables owned and operated by the Western Telegraph Company, Limited, thus effecting a through line to points on the east coast of South America which are served exclusively by the Western Telegraph Company, Limited.
[Page 688]This Government has not yet seen fit to issue a license for this landing and will probably hold the matter under consideration until the International Communications Conference meets on September 13th.
Information has reached the State Department that an effort may be made to effect a landing of this cable at Miami despite the fact that the license is withheld, and we are informed that the British cable steamer Colonia is on its way from Plymouth to some point near Miami, prepared to land a cable as above stated.
This Government could not suffer this to be done, and measures have been taken to physically prevent it, instructions having already been issued to the Navy to safeguard the Government’s position.
In view of the fact that the vessel employed for this purpose is a British vessel, it would be much appreciated if a timely warning could be conveyed to its master, who is doubtless wholly unaware of the illegality of the proceeding. I would greatly regret the complications which might result if the official opposition to this landing were disregarded.
I beg to remain [etc.]