811.2342/366

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Canada (MacNider)

No. 671

Sir: Reference is made to your despatch No. 868 of June 18, 1932, with which was enclosed a copy of a note received from the Canadian Department of External Affairs, stating that the competent Canadian authorities were disposed to grant the request of this Government that blanket permission be extended annually for flights of United States Army aircraft passing over Canadian territory in flying between Selfridge Field, Mount Clemens, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, or Buffalo, New York, provided that similar privileges are accorded Canadian military aircraft passing over the State of Maine [Page 101] in making flights between Quebec and New Brunswick, or vice versa, and conditional upon the observance of certain stipulations specified in sub-paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the second paragraph of the note from the Canadian Department of External Affairs.

It was considered by the Department that sub-paragraph (c) should be amended to provide that in the event of a forced landing the pilots shall report to the local immigration authorities as well as to the authorities mentioned in the sub-paragraph. The Canadian proposal with this amendment added has been referred to the Government Departments concerned and to the Governor of the State of Maine. Replies have been received stating in each case that no objections were perceived to the proposed procedure.

The Canadian suggestion that the arrangement be terminable upon notice by either Government, and renewable by mutual agreement for successive annual periods, is acceptable to this Government.

You may accordingly inform the Canadian Department of External Affairs that the proposal contained in its note of June 16,1932, has been found acceptable to this Government, except that this Government desires to have sub-paragraph (c) of the second paragraph of the note amended as follows so as to include a reference to immigration authorities:

In case of forced landings outside their own territory, pilots shall, with as little delay as possible, report to the local police, customs and immigration authorities and notify, by telegraph, the appropriate Departments of their respective Governments;

In the event that the amendment is agreed to by the Canadian Government you are authorized to make the arrangement effective immediately through an exchange of notes with the Department of External Affairs. Copies of such exchange of notes should, of course, be made available to the Department.39

Should the agreement be effected, you may inform the Canadian authorities for their convenience that United States immigration stations along the boundary between Canada and the State of Maine are located at the following points: Boundary Cottage, Bridgewater, Calais, Eastport, Eustis, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Houlton, Jackman, Lac Frontier, Limestone, Madawaska, Monticello, Van Buren and Vanceboro.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:
Francis White
  1. Notes were exchanged at Ottawa, September 16, 1932, containing the provisions in the Canadian proposal of June 16 as amended in this instruction.