811.7353b/91: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Harvey)

192. Your 264, June 29, 6 p.m.

Department is surprised at answer of Foreign Office. No relation is perceived between efforts of American companies to obtain privileges of landing and operating cables in Azores and application of Western Union to land at Miami inasmuch as United States Government is withholding from American company privilege of establishing physical connection between United States and Foreign territory while British Government is seeking to interfere with freedom of action of Portuguese Government and is opposing efforts of American companies to obtain facilities in Portuguese territory.

Conditions on which United States Government is willing to grant license for landing at Miami have been made clear to all parties concerned and upon compliance with those conditions license will not be longer withheld. Conditions stated briefly are that British Western Telegraph Company, the associate of the American Western Union Telegraph Company in the Miami Barbados Brazil Line, shall effectively surrender its exclusive privileges in South America while similar waiver is made by the All America Cable Company. The British Company waives its exclusive or preferential privileges on East coast and the American company its similar privileges on the West coast. Furthermore, this Government is cooperating in effort of Western Telegraph Company to readjust its position in South America to the end that the license for landing at Miami may issue which further distinguishes attitude of United States Government in Miami matter from the attitude of British Government in Azores.

Communicate in sense of foregoing with Foreign Office and report fully by telegraph.

Hughes