Office of the Historian

882.51/1840

The British Chargé (Chilton) to the Secretary of State

Washington, October 7, 1925.
No. 877

Sir: Information has reached His Britannic Majesty’s Government to the effect that negotiations have been undertaken, or are in contemplation, between certain industrial or financial groups in the United States and the government of the Republic of Liberia in regard to the granting to the latter of a loan one of the conditions of which would be, it is understood, that a nominee of the United States should be placed in sole control of the Liberian customs. In this relation I am directed to draw your attention to a note addressed on the 13th September, 1919, by the late Lord Curzon, to Mr. John W. Davis, then United States Ambassador in London,54 defining the terms on which His Majesty’s Government agreed to the withdrawal of the British Receiver of Liberian Customs. In the following passages of that note the attitude of His Majesty’s Government was indicated:—

  • “1. According to a system now in force in the Liberian customs administration permits to exceed in certain respects the strict letter of the customs regulations have hitherto been granted by the authorities equally to reputable traders of all nationalities when prompt handling of merchandise would be thereby facilitated. The necessity [Page 485] for such a system is occasioned, it is understood, largely, if not entirely, by the absence in Liberia of “bonded warehouses”, properly so-called. His Majesty’s Government, then rely upon the continued observance under the new administration of strict impartiality in the issue of such permits to British traders.
  • 2. His Majesty’s Government are confident that the customs dues on all imports of British goods, as well as on exports of Liberian produce of all descriptions without exception, to any part of the British Empire, will be levied at no higher rates than, and in an exactly similar manner as, on imports of United States merchandise into Liberia, and exports of produce from Liberia to the United States of America.
  • 3. It is assumed that the United States Government in the special position which they are in future to occupy in Liberia, will support any representations which His Majesty’s Government might at any time be called upon to make to the Liberian Government, should the latter take any action to cancel, limit, or infringe the rights possessed by British subjects by virtue of the existing concessions in the country.”

His Majesty’s Government now desire me to say that so long as they refrain from exercising their right of appointing a British Receiver of Liberian customs, they naturally expect that the stipulations above quoted will remain in force and they are confident that equality of treatment for all nationalities will be maintained in Liberia.

I have [etc.]

H. G. Chilton
  1. Foreign Relations, 1919, vol. ii, p. 484.↩