884.6461 Tsana Dam/58
The Minister in Ethiopia (Southard) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram of this date12 reporting that His Majesty, King Tafari Makonnen, was ill with influenza, and that I would as soon as possible convey to him, with appropriate persuasion, the message from the J. G. White Corporation given in the Department’s telegraphic instruction of October 29th, 3:00 P.M., 1928.
His Majesty has been ill for several days and sees no one. A written communication to him on the subject would be ineffective. There is no one else here with power of action or decision in the Tsana Dam matter and I must, therefore, wait until the King is accessible in person.
The new British Minister, Mr. S. P. P. Waterlow, has evidently expedited his departure from London as I am informed by my colleague of the British Legation that he is already en route and is expected in Addis Ababa some time between November 21st and 25th.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩