File No. 300.115/28376
The Commercial Adviser of the British Embassy ( Crawford ) to the Foreign Trade Adviser of the Department of State ( Fleming )
Dear Mr. Fleming : In reply to your letter of the 19th instant, I have, as you know, no authority to discuss the interpretation to be placed on the notes now being exchanged through diplomatic channels by our respective Governments. My personal view, however, of the paragraph from the Neches note to which you call my attention is that it refers only to cases in which goods shipped to the United States have been detained en route and taken before a prize court under the provisions of paragraph 4 of the order in council of March 11.
The considerations advanced on the second page of your letter seem to be covered by the British memorandum of June 17 and particularly by paragraphs 9 to 17, inclusive, of that memorandum, a copy of which is enclosed for your information.1
May I say that I much appreciate the very friendly way in which you have met me in our informal conversations and I shall be only too glad to assist you so far as I properly can.
Yours very truly,