892.6363/9: Telegram
The Chargé in Siam (Williams) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:25 p.m.]
3. Our despatch 198, dated December 1, 1921. The British Legation on December 29 sent a long informal note to the Siamese Foreign Office in which previous representations made on September 13 were renewed. The British Chargé disclaimed a desire to interfere in the internal administration of Siam but again asked that in the surveying of Siam’s petroleum resources a British expert should cooperate. This action by the British Chargé was taken on instructions from his Government. He intimated that the employment of Rappoport14 at London in a consulting capacity as proposed would not give adequate protection to British interests, the inference being as before that information might be withheld by the present geological adviser. In its general tone the British note was not unfriendly but it was very firm.
On January 4 the Siamese Foreign Office replied to the British note. It definitely refused to begin the exclusive and continuous [Page 889] employment in Siam of a British petroleum expert if the sole purpose was “to spy” on the investigator now employed. The Foreign Office stated that it considered that the present arrangement constituted ample guarantee of maintaining equal opportunity.
In acknowledging the Siamese note on January 7 the British Legation carefully pointed out that in the question at issue there has been no intention of mentioning personalities.
It is not yet necessary to give further instructions.
- Employed as consultant in London for the Siamese Commissioner of State Railways.↩