811.7353b W 52/97: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Harvey) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4 p.m.]
135. My 117, April 18 [19], 5 p.m.85 Western Union officials puzzled as to meaning of Foreign Office note. They desire to know whether British Government will actually seek to conclude [exclude] all South American traffic from Western Union cables when landed at Azores or ordered South American traffic only or will not seek to exclude any South American traffic from the Western Union cable. They believe this should be determined without delay.
Mr. Goddard sought to learn attitude of Sir John Pender on those points on the 25th instant but could get no definite reply.
With regard to the statement in note that British Government willing to leave the matter in the hands of Portugal after companies have come to an agreement Pender informed Goddard that there was no use at present of considering terms; that in the course of the next month or so something might develop which might form the basis of an agreement.
[Page 287]Western Union officials here believe that the purpose of the note was to confuse the situation and delay matters until the adjournment of the Parliament at Lisbon which will probably take place on the 31st of May.
- Not printed.↩