File No. 711.5914/77a
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Egan
Washington, August 5, 1916, 1 p.m.
142. Treaty ceding Danish West Indies to the United States was signed yesterday by Secretary Lansing and Minister Brun, in New [Page 644] York. Treaty will be immediately submitted to Senate here for its approval. It is understood treaty will be submitted to Danish Parliament as soon as text arrives by mail. Text is not to be made public until a date agreed upon by the two countries. Keep Department advised as to attitude of Danish Parliament regarding treaty.
The foregoing is for your information.
Documents contained in your mail despatch No. 937 of July 4th and No. 915 March 27th do not give sufficient information regarding concession to Danish West Indian Company for the improvement of St. Thomas Harbor. It is understood the concession of July 7, 1912, was completely annulled January 31, 1913. If this is so, concession must rest, so far as Department is advised, on letters of the Minister of Finance dated January 18, 1913, and April 16, 1913. These letters, however, do not give details of concession, such as period of concession, right of Government to buy back concession, etc. Moreover, these letters refer to other correspondence which Department has not received. Please obtain immediately from the Danish Government all details regarding this concession, and also the four letters referred to in the first paragraph of the letter of the Minister of Finance of January 18, 1913, and the four letters referred to in his letter of April 16, 1913. This information is desired officially and immediately for use in connection with treaty which is being sent to Senate. In a concession of this importance, there must be documents setting forth more definitely the relative rights of the company and the Danish Government.
Please telegraph summary of information obtained.