File No. 763.72112/1189
The Counselor of the British Embassy (Barclay) to the Counselor for the Department of State
My Dear Mr Lansing : On the 19th instant I transmitted to you for your information copy of a letter addressed on that day by Sir Richard Crawford to Mr. Rose. As the expression, “United States Government,” inadvertently used gives a misleading impression of the nature of these informal and private negotiations I think that it would be as well if Sir Richard’s letter were withdrawn.
I hope you will agree to this course of action although I admit that being entirely unofficial the matter is not exactly within the formal competence of the counselor of the State Department.
Yours very sincerely,