850d.00/344
The Department of State to the British Embassy
The Department of State acknowledges the receipt of the Memorandum dated March 30, 1918,55 from the British Embassy, stating that in view of the fact that the Treaty of Peace between Russia and Germany contains a clause relative to Spitzbergen,56 the British Embassy has been instructed to inquire whether as it is understood that the American Company there has disposed of its holding, the United States Government has any interest in the question of Spitzbergen, and whether it wishes to communicate to the British Government any expression of views on this subject.
In reply the Department begs to state that it is not at present in a position to state whether it may in the future have an interest in the settlement of the affairs in relation to Spitzbergen.
- Not printed.↩
- Chapter IX of the agreement, supplementary to the treaty of Brest Litovsk, Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, vol. i, p. 455.↩