881.6463/24
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes)
Sir: Reference is made to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1635, of February 5, 1931, concerning the electric light concession in Tangier.
In principle the Department is, of course, opposed to the granting of this concession without proper public adjudication. The Department is, however, not unmindful of the practical considerations involved. It is suggested that you inform the Foreign Office, quite informally, that the Department will be willing to accept the grant of this concession as an exception. The difficulty is to be found in the fact that it is illogical for the Diplomatic Agent at Tangier to follow up an unanswered protest by a note which extends approval to the grant on the basis that it is an exception and without prejudice to principle. Were the Shereefian Government, that is the French, to address a note to the Diplomatic Agent and request this Government’s approval of the grant on the basis that such a grant would be exceptional, the Department would be glad to authorize Mr. Blake to extend this Government’s approval. It is suggested that you inquire of the Foreign Office whether it could not suggest this procedure to the French.
Very truly yours,