711.419/235
The British Chargé ( Chilton ) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 711.419/229 of the 16th instant notifying me that the suggestions made at the recent London conference for administrative cooperation on the part of the competent British authorities for the prevention of the illicit liquor trade have been carefully considered and accepted by the Government of the United States. In reply I am happy to inform you that these suggestions are also acceptable to His Majesty’s Government, who are prepared to consider them in effect as from the date of this note.
For your information I beg leave to enclose copies of instructions which have been addressed to His Majesty’s Consular Officers at Antwerp, Hamburg and Havana explaining the attitude which they are to adopt in cooperating with their United States colleagues in matters connected with the liquor smuggling problem.91 Although in their conversations in London the American delegation only asked for close cooperation between His Majesty’s and the United States Consular Officers at the three ports above-mentioned, it has occurred to Sir Austen Chamberlain92 that the Government of the United States may desire similar cooperation between His Majesty’s Consular Officers and the local United States officials at certain ports in the United States and/or in Southern or Central America. Should this cooperation be desired I am authorised to address appropriate instructions to British Officers concerned, on the lines of the enclosed despatches to Antwerp, Hamburg and Havana, at the same time Supplying them with a copy of the Joint Report of the British and United States delegates to the recent London Conference.93
I should be most grateful if you would inform me at your early convenience whether you desire action to be taken as outlined above, and in that event I request that I may be notified of the posts to which it is desired that instructions be issued. In this connection you will, I feel sure, bear in mind that for purposes of the secrecy necessary to the success of the measures proposed, the number of copies issued of the Joint Report above referred to should be kept as low as possible.
I have [etc.]