811.73/301
Memorandum by the Third Assistant Secretary of State (Merle-Smith)
Memorandum of conference between the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Coontz, Captain Freeman, Mr. Metzger and Mr. Merle-Smith.
Miami Cable Landing. Admiral Coontz reported that the Colonia in disregard of the orders of the British Embassy had started laying the cable outside the three mile limit and had proceeded south about three hundred miles the first day and that a destroyer was following it, keeping it in sight, and that it would appear that the cable was being laid to Barbados. He said that the destroyer would keep her in sight to keep special watch on the laying of the cable to Cuba. It was felt that little could be done to prevent the ship from laying the cable outside the three mile limit.
Admiral Coontz also reported that the tug carrying the short four mile section of the cable had proceeded north from Savannah after being warned that they could not land the cable at Miami. It was decided that the destroyer guard would be kept at Miami. It was also understood that the military guard would still remain. It was decided that we should maintain the status quo at Miami and that if a cable was landed it would be cut at once and hauled beyond the three mile limit.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .