File No. 652.119/623
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received (March 7?) 3.33 p.m.]
8923. Your 6771 [6772], March 5, 6 p.m. I discussed this matter today with Lord Robert Cecil who assures me that the only interest the British Government had in postponing the conclusion of negotiations was to bring up the question of Spanish shipping before they were finished in order to exercise pressure on Spain to release all the tonnage possible for Allied needs. Now that the British Government is informed that it is too late to do this since both the French and American agreements are ready for ratification, Cecil informs me that Lord Reading has been instructed by telegraph to ask you to do what you can to obtain the Spanish tonnage in some other way.