884.6461 Tsana Dam/56

The Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs ( Shaw ) to the President of the J. G. White Engineering Corporation ( Gano Dunn )

Dear Mr. Dunn: A telegram from Mr. Southard, dated November 28, has just reached us. It is in answer to our telegram of October 29 and says that after a very full discussion on the Tsana matter with King Tafari the latter refuses to call a conference or to take any other step until a further communication has been received from the British Government. The King hopes that this communication will be received as soon as the new British Minister presents his letters of credence on the 2nd of December. Mr. Southard concludes the telegram by expressing his own personal opinion to the effect that the King has never yet definitely made up his mind to have the Dam actually constructed.

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It looks to me as though the next move would have to be taken through British channels. I can’t see that there is anything further that we can do here for the time being.

Very sincerely yours,

G. Howland Shaw