441.11 W 892/37

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Mr. Chilton14 called to see me this morning accompanied by Mr. Broderick.15 He said that his Government had received my Aide Memoire of April 7, 1926, regarding the claims in question and that Mr. Chamberlain was most appreciative of its friendly tone. He said that he had been authorized to state that his Government was prepared to enter at once upon a preliminary examination of the papers bearing on these claims and that Mr. Broderick would undertake such an examination on behalf of the British. I observed that as there were many cases in which the Department did not have complete information regarding the disposition of the subject matter of the claims, it would probably be impossible to reach a determination about many of them without having access to records in the files of the Procurator General in London, the British prize courts and the American Consulate General. Mr. Chilton agreed that this might be the case, but explained that at the present time his Government preferred that the matter be explored in Washington rather than in London. I, of course, acquiesced and arranged for Mr. Broderick to make an appointment with Mr. Phenix to start the work with the understanding that the matter would be pressed to completion as rapidly as possible.

Mr. Phenix subsequently informed me that Mr. Broderick would commence the joint examination of the papers with Mr. Phenix next Monday morning and that he would be able to devote an average of three days a week to this work.

  1. Henry Getty Chilton, Acting Counselor of the British Embassy.
  2. John Joyce Broderick, Commercial Counselor of the British Embassy.