438.00/106
The Secretary of State to the British Appointed Ambassador (Geddes)
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the note of the Chargé d’Affaires of Great Britain, Mr. Lindsay, of January 31, [Page 829] 1920,73 in which he pointed out that His Majesty’s Government must, by reason of there being no provision for the representation of the government of a foreign claimant in the Claims Commission established in the protocol between the United States and Haiti, reserve the right to present claims through the diplomatic channel if such claimants are not satisfied with the awards of the Commission, He pointed out further that His Majesty’s Government is not prepared to allow the reduction of any admitted claim.
After careful consideration of the point raised in Mr. Lindsay’s note, I have been advised that Mr. McIlhenny, Financial Adviser to the Government of Haiti, will nominate, after consultation with the British Embassy in Washington, a British subject to serve during the consideration of British claims, as the third member of the Claims Commission.
I would be pleased to know what effect, if any, this procedure has upon the attitude of His Majesty’s Government, as expressed in Mr. Lindsay’s note above referred to.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩