840.24/1–1445
The British Minister of State (Law) to the Special Assistant to the President (Hopkins)
Dear Mr. Hopkins:
Memorandum of Agreement
In initialling this agreement on behalf of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, I must refer to the interpretation of clause 10 which I should have liked to see clarified if time had permitted and if all those concerned had been accessible.
I interpret this clause as a “no prejudice” clause leaving present procedures for the determining of shipping availability as they stand and making it clear that this document in no way compromises any position or claim of anyone as to what those procedures are or should be. I do not interpret it, and I feel sure that it cannot reasonably be interpreted, as introducing any change whatever in current procedures. As you know, my understanding is that these procedures do not provide for “clearance” in the sense of a veto by the military authorities on civilian shipping allocations, but do in practice result in the fullest exchange of information and consultation between the shipping authorities and the Chiefs of Staff.
Yours sincerely,