711.4115A/20a

The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Howard)

Excxellency: Adverting to this Department’s notes of January 29, 1921, to Mr. Craigie, and of April 29, 1922, to Sir Auckland Geddes,33 regarding the desire of this Government that a new understanding be effected between the British and American Governments modifying the arrangement of 1907 with respect to the temporary administration of certain islands off the east coast of Borneo, I have the honor to request you to be so good as to inform me whether it has yet been found possible to come to any decision concerning this matter.

For the purpose of convenient reference I may say that the British Embassy’s note No. 346 of May 4, 1922,34 stated that this Department’s note of January 29, 1921, to Mr. Craigie, had been temporarily mislaid and requested a copy, which was transmitted in this Department’s reply of May 13, 1922.34 On September 16, 1922, Mr. Peterson, Secretary of the British Embassy, addressed to Mr. Lockhart, of this Department, an inquiry regarding the question above mentioned, and reply was made on September 21, 1922,35 since which time it does not [Page 777] appear that there has been any correspondence on the subject between the British Embassy and this Department.

Since it is the desire of this Government to assume at present administration over only the seven islands mentioned in Mr. Lockhart’s letter of September 20, 1922, to Mr. Peterson, namely: Boaan, Lihiman, Langaan, Great Bakkungaan, Little Bakkungaan, Taganac and Baguan, it would seem preferable to provide for this by a modification of the existing agreement, if possible, rather than to proceed to a denunciation of the entire agreement in accordance with paragraph five of the temporary arrangement.

Accept [etc.]

Frank B. Kellogg
  1. Letter of Apr. 29, 1922, not printed.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.
  4. Neither of these letters printed.