811.7311c Al 5/38
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Cuba (Long)
Sir: The Department has received your despatch No. 639 of December 21, 1920, relative to the necessity of a modification of Article 3 of the agreement entitled, “Lease to the United States by the Government of Cuba of Certain Areas of Land and Water for Naval [Page 811] and Coaling Stations in Guantanamo and Bahia Honda”, signed at Habana on July 2, 1903, so that All America Cables, Inc., may be authorized to lay, land, maintain, and operate certain cables at Guantanamo. You state that Doctor de Bustamante is of the opinion that it will be necessary for the two Governments to come to a mutual understanding for the landing of these cables.
You are referred to the Department’s telegram, 29, of January 31, 1921, which directed you to transmit to the Foreign Office a proposal for an agreement for a modification of Article 3 of the lease, signed on July 2, 1903, so that All America Cables, Inc., would be allowed to lay, land, maintain, and operate the cables at Guantanamo. You are informed that the telegram in question was submitted to the President for his consideration and that he approved it.
The Department encloses herewith a certified copy of a permit signed by the President on January 31, 1921,9 authorizing All America Cables, Inc., to lay, land, maintain, and operate at Guantanamo its proposed cable between Santiago, Cuba, and Guantanamo on condition that a joint agreement is reached between Cuba and the United States modifying Article 3 of the lease of July 2, 1903.
You are requested to expedite the exchange of notes on this subject and to submit a report on the matter to the Department.
I am [etc.]
- Not printed.↩