811.73/452
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy ( Daniels )
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your letter of October 26, 1920,98 (your file Op–13A 27014–20:) relative to the attempt of the Western Union Telegraph Company to land a cable from Barbados at Miami, Florida. I am enclosing herewith, for your consideration, a copy of a letter dated December 8, 1920,99 received by this Department from the attorneys for the Cuban American Telephone and Telegraph Company. The Department hopes to reach an agreement regarding the terms of a permit which will authorize the Cuban American Telephone and Telegraph Company to lay its proposed cable between Key West, Florida, and Havana, Cuba, and expects to submit a draft of the permit to the President for his approval at an early date.
As the enclosed copy of letter states that the cableship Stephan, which it is intended shall lay the telephone cable for the Cuban American Telephone and Telegraph Company, also will have on board 205 nautical miles of cable for the Western Union Telegraph Company, I am bringing this matter to your attention in order that you may take such steps as you consider appropriate to prevent the Stephan from laying the 205 nautical miles of cable belonging to the Western Union Telegraph Company within the territorial waters of the United States, for the purpose of connecting with its cable from Barbados.
I shall be grateful if you will inform me concerning any action taken by your Department in this respect.
I may add that this Department hopes to reach an agreement with the Commercial Cable Company of Cuba at an early date, concerning the terms of a permit to be signed by the President which will authorize it to lay a cable from Miami Beach, Florida, to Havana, Cuba. If the President signs permits authorizing the Cuban American Telephone and Telegraph Company and the Commercial Cable Company of Cuba to land these proposed cables, I shall promptly inform you concerning it.
I have [etc.]
Third Assistant Secretary