Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1936, General, British Commonwealth, Volume I

500.A15A3/1777: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham)

Washington, June 4, 1936—noon.

191. Our Memorandum in reply to the British Memoranda of May 2 and 6,⁶ dealing with increases in the London Treaty 1930 cruiser and destroyer categories was forwarded to you today.^6a

The Memorandum notes, without specific objection or approval, that the British Government proposes to convert a Hawkins class cruiser to training ship, although this is not provided for in the Treaty. It expresses appreciation of the spirit which prompts the British Government to wish to arrange the destroyer excess by friendly negotiation but indicates that it would be preferable to invoke Article 21 of the Treaty and reserves our right in that event to retain a proportionate amount of excess destroyer tonnage.

Hull

6. None printed.
7. In instruction No. 1262, June 4; the memorandum to the British Government was delivered on June 11.