882.51/906: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Sharp) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received February 13, 1.42 a.m.]
7173. Your 6674 [7126], January 25. Foreign Office note dated 11th instant states:
“The Government of the Republic is of the same opinion as the Federal Government that the question of the financial aid to be given Liberia is not one to be submitted to the Peace Conference: it is expedient to settle it directly between the Governments concerned.
Doubtless the Federal Government will deem it advisable to take advantage of the presence in Paris of the officers of the Department of State and of the Foreign Office as well as of the Liberian Secretary of State, for the purpose of forming a commission which would be called upon to arrange a settlement of this matter: this commission would be composed of American, English, Liberian and French delegates.
To this end the Government of the Republic is disposed to designate two delegates and to request the British and Liberian Governments to do likewise, if the Federal Government will do the same and take similar action.
There should also be laid before this commission which it would be expedient to convene as soon as possible the question of the system for the concessions to be granted in Liberia, and the question concerning the landing of the German Monrovia–Pernambuco cable which cannot without prejudice remain longer in abeyance. Finally it would be called upon to submit the clauses to be inserted in the Peace Preliminaries with a view to protecting Liberia from the ambitions of Germany which latter country will in particular have to renounce participation in the assistance extended to the Liberian Government.[”]12
Copy of note forwarded to Ammission.
- Corrected to accord with text transmitted in the Ambassador’s despatch No. 7084, of Feb. 13, received Mar. 1 (File No. 882.51/912).↩