File No. 882.51/319.
The Ambassador of the French Republic to the Secretary of State.
Washington, March 30, 1912.
Mr. Secretary of State: The loan contract signed by the Republic of Liberia with a group of foreign bankers, of which your excellency was pleased to communicate a copy to me in your letter of the 13th instant, provides for the appointment of a general receiver of customs designated by the Government of the United States, and three receivers designated by the British, German, and French Governments.
[Page 673]As the said contract does not specify the residence of the several receivers, but on the other hand stipulates that in cases of absence or disability of the general receiver, that officer will be replaced by the receiver residing at Monrovia or the place nearest the capital, my Government asks that the office of receiver of the port of Monrovia or, if there be no receiver at that port, the office, no matter where, whose incumbent will be called upon to act as general receiver in the absence of the last-named officer, be successively assigned to each one of the three receivers for a definite term.
Under the instructions I have received from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic, I have the honor to lay before your excellency this request of the French Government, which has, no doubt, in view of its object, which is to place all interested parties on a footing of perfect equality, of its gaining the approval and support of the Federal Government.
Accept [etc.]