882.796/37
The First Secretary of the British Embassy (Hayter) to the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Alling)
Dear Mr. Alling: There is one point in connexion with the aide-mémoire about the utilisation of airports in Liberia which Mr. Villard gave me on March 2nd58 which is not quite clear.
You may remember that when I first discussed this question with you on July 1st last I mentioned that we were anxious to obtain permission not only for B.O.A.C. land planes to use Roberts Field but also for flying boats operated by the corporation to use the base at Fisherman’s Lake. A reference to this is contained in the memorandum which Sir Ronald Campbell left with Mr. Berle on December 14th.59 The Air Ministry inform us that the ability to refuel at Fisherman’s Lake would improve the pay load of both Sunderland and Boeing type flying boats by over 2,000 pounds in each case and would enable them to cope more easily with the collection and delivery of loads from and to Freetown, where the best shipping connexion with the United Kingdom exists. It is possible that this question is already covered by the permission which you were so kind as to obtain for us from the Liberian Government. I should be glad to know whether you consider that this is the case.
Naturally the use of Fisherman’s Lake by these flying-boats would be subject to the same conditions as apply to the use of Roberts Field by land planes.
Yours very sincerely,