857.014/36

The Minister in Norway ( Swenson ) to the Secretary of State

No. 870

Sir: With reference to the Department’s instruction No. 297 of August 25, 1926, regarding the status of the Island of Jan Mayen, I have the honor to report that the following reply to an inquiry has been received from the Foreign Office.

Translation

“In a note verbale of the ninth instant the American Chargé d’Affaires referring among else to a note dated May 17, 1926, from the Norwegian Legation in Washington, enquired whether the recent activities of the Meteorological Institute on the Island of Jan Mayen had, in the opinion of the Norwegian Government, changed the political status of the island in question.

In this connection the Foreign Office has the honor to advise that the above-mentioned activities have greatly increased Norwegian interests on the Island, but that no occupation on the part of the Norwegian state has taken place.

The Foreign Office also has the honor to refer to its note of June 30, 1923, addressed to Minister Swenson.

Oslo, September 23, 1926”

The note referred to in the last paragraph was transmitted to the Department as an enclosure to this Legation’s despatch No. 244 of July 5, 1923.10

I have [etc.]

Laurits S. Swenson