811.73/255a
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Daniels)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The Colonia, a British cable ship employed by the Western Union Telegraph Company, is on its way to [Page 692] Miami, Florida, apparently with the intention of laying a cable, either from the coast of Florida to Barbados, or from a point outside the three-mile limit, opposite Miami, to Barbados.
No permit for physical connection between the United States and Barbados has been issued, by the President, and, in compliance with his letter of July 20, 1920, copy attached,95 and with the decisions arrived at in a meeting held in the Department of State on July 30, 1920, at which Admiral Coontz was present as Acting Secretary of the Navy, the Navy Department determined to send a number of vessels to police our territorial waters off Maimi, Florida.
The British Government has today instructed the master of the British ship Colonia to desist from laying any cable, either outside or inside the three-mile limit, and to report to the consul at Miami for instructions, and the Colonia has answered, stating that it will comply with the British Embassy’s orders.
In case the British consul at Miami does not prevent the Colonia from continuing her operations, it is not contemplated that the ships patrolling the Florida coast should take any action outside of the three-mile limit, but it is desired that, in accordance with the decisions arrived at in the meeting of July 30, 1920, and the instructions which, it is understood, have already been issued to the patrolling vessels by the Navy Department, the British ship Colonia, or any ship, tug, or boat, be prevented from laying a cable or establishing connection with already existing cables within the territorial waters of the United States without a permit signed by the President.
I understand that before leaving Newport News, the Colonia discharged four and four-tenths miles of cable and paid duty on it, and that this cable is to be taken to Miami by the American tug Robert Clowry, which our last reports show to have left Newport News. This would indicate that it is proposed to make a physical connection at Miami within a few days or weeks.
I also wish to call your attention to the fact that as the Western Union Telegraph Company has obtained a concession to lay a cable from Barbados to Cuba, and their already existing cables from Key West are being worked to capacity, it is possible that the Colonia will proceed to Key West in company with or followed by the tug, and attempt to land a cable there.
May I point out the fact that a landing license was granted to the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1917 to lay three submarine cables from Key West to Cuba. These three cables have already been put in. No additional cable can be lawfully laid. Inasmuch as any additional cable would create a new physical connection with Cuba, unless a specific permit therefor can be shown, [Page 693] the laying of such a cable would appear to be an act contrary to the spirit of the President’s instructions, as expressed in his letter of July 20, 1920. Should the occasion arise, I would suggest that the same steps be taken by the Navy Department to prevent the laying of a cable in our territorial waters as are being taken at Miami.
It is understood that the Navy Department is at present engaged in finding out the number of cables in operation or being established, by the various telegraph companies, between Key West and Cuba. I may add that no telegraph or telephone companies have been authorized to lay any new cables for the purpose of connecting Key West with Cuba, and should be prevented from laying such cables should they attempt to do so.
I am [etc.]