711.90a2/8

The Under Secretary of State (Cotton) to the British Ambassador (Lindsay)

My Dear Mr. Ambassador: You will recall our talk this morning about the situation in Muscat, our reference to the Secretary’s note to [Page 366] you on that subject of May 23, 1930, and your suggestion that the Sultan might, pending the conclusion of a new treaty, desire and almost need to make limited increases in the duties on imported goods in the interim.

I have thought of that situation and it seems to the Department that in the event of such non-discriminatory increases in the interim, the Department probably would not have—and I do not see now how it could have—occasion to protest such limited interim non-discriminatory increases in duties on imported goods.

Very sincerely yours,

J. P. Cotton