811.114 Fisher Lassie/9
The Secretary of
State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes)
No. 1010
Washington, November 27, 1931.
Sir: There is enclosed a copy of an
instruction addressed to the American Consul at Nassau, Bahamas,
under date of October 10, 1931,41 requesting him to endeavor to obtain from the
appropriate Bahaman authorities certified copies of the entrance and
clearance papers of certain vessels suspected of being engaged in
the smuggling of liquor into the United States, as well as
information regarding the cargo carried, names of shippers and names
of masters. This information was requested by Assistant Attorney
General Youngquist on behalf
of the Director of the Bureau of Prohibition for use in connection
with proceedings which are contemplated against the vessels. A copy
of Mr. Youngquist’s letter,
with its enclosures, is likewise transmitted herewith.41
The Consul stated in his reply that he had been informed by the
Acting Colonial Secretary of the Bahamas that the furnishing of such
information was, upon instruction from the Secretary of State for
the Colonies, forbidden. A copy of the Consul’s reply, transmitting
copies of correspondence exchanged with the Acting Colonial
Secretary on the subject, is also enclosed. The latter bases his
refusal apparently on instructions received prior to the agreement
reached at the conference held in London in July, 1926,42 between representatives of Great Britain
and the United States, as the result of which certain methods of
cooperation were formulated. Section 4 of this agreement entitled
“Prosecutions” provides that proceedings shall be instituted for
infringement of British or United States law, and the last sentence
reads, “In this connection, an attempt should at once be made to
secure, if possible, the necessary evidence to enable proceedings to
be instituted in the case of vessels known to be engaged in the
traffic.”
You are requested to take up this matter with the appropriate British
authorities and to inquire whether the understanding of the Acting
Colonial Secretary is correct.
Very truly yours,
For the Secretary of State:
W. R. Castle,
Jr.
[Enclosure]
The Consul at Nassau (Fisher) to the Secretary of
State44
No. 536
Nassau, October 30, 1931.
[Received
November 5.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of the Department’s memorandum instruction of October
10, 1931 (file No. 811.114 Fisher Lassie/3 [14]),45
directing that I endeavor to obtain and forward to it, for the
use of the Department of Justice in an investigation it is
making into alleged smuggling activities in the Gulf of Mexico,
certified copies of the entrance and clearance papers, cargo
carried, names of shippers, and names of masters of vessels
named in the instruction, on their several arrivals at and
departure from Nassau and Salt Cay, during the period from
January 1, 1930, to date.
In reply, I have to report that immediately upon receipt of the
instruction the certified copies of the papers and the
information called for were requested in a letter dated October
20, 1931, addressed to the Acting Colonial Secretary of the
Bahamas, a copy of which is herewith enclosed.
On October 17, 1931, the question of furnishing the information
desired by the Department of Justice was discussed at an
interview had with the Acting Colonial Secretary, on which
occasion he informed me that the furnishing of such information
to this Consulate was, upon instruction from the Secretary of
State for the Colonies, forbidden, and that this Consulate had
been so informed in a letter from his Office dated September 18,
1925.45 The
confirmation of the Acting Colonial Secretary’s statement at
that interview is contained in his letter dated October 28,
1931, a copy of which is also enclosed. In this connection the
Department is respectfully referred to this Consulate’s despatch
No. 62, of September 22, 1925,45 and subsequent correspondence on this
subject.
It is not believed that the information concerning the movements
of liquor vessels in Bahamian waters now being supplied this
Consulate by the local authorities is of any material value to
the United States authorities in their efforts to suppress the
smuggling of liquor from the Bahamas into the United States. The
weekly reports of departures of vessels from Bimini and West End
are not received by this Consulate until several days after the
close of the week concerned, and practically no departures of
vessels with “interesting cargoes” from Nassau are officially
reported to this office.
[Page 47]
The only information that has been obtained by this Consulate
relative to the movements of liquor-running vessels in the
Bahamas since July 1, 1930, has been secured from private
sources, and with the exception of a short period,—November,
1930, to March, 1931,—has been paid for from private means. From
these sources it has been learned that the vessels Leon Juin, Rosita and Paddy Hafferty, mentioned in the Department’s
instruction under acknowledgment, have left Bahamas waters with
cargoes of liquor supposedly for points along the United States
coast on several occasions since July 1, 1930, on each of which
the information was telegraphed to the Commander, Florida East
Coast Patrol Area, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Yours respectfully,
[Subenclosure 1]
The American Consul at Nassau (Fisher) to the Acting Colonial
Secretary of the Bahamas (Bethel)
No. 624.4–FDF
Nassau, October 20, 1931.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you
that I have been directed by the Department of State,
Washington, to request from the appropriate authorities of the
Bahamas Government, certified copies of the entrance and
clearance papers, as well as information showing the dates of
entry and clearance, cargoes carried, names of shippers, and
names of masters, of each of the following vessels on their
several arrivals at and departures from Nassau, Salt Cay and
other places in the Bahamas Group, during the period from
January 1, 1930, to date:
- Fisher Lassie
- Miss Carmen Blancaneaux
- Concord
- Corozal
- Admiral Sturdee
- C. M. Lawrence
- General Tosta
- La Plata
- Marshal Frank
- Mavis Barbara
- Leon Juin
- Lady Antoinette
- R. A. Glen
- Rosita
- Pasajero
- Olivia M.
- Ouitchouan
- Montagua (Motagua?)
- Maya Prince
- Halcon
- Hattie Halferty (Paddy
Hafferty)
I would be very appreciative if you will kindly furnish me with
the necessary information to enable me to reply to the
instruction of the Department of State in this matter.
I have [etc.]
[Page 48]
[Subenclosure 2]
The Acting Colonial Secretary of the Bahamas
(Bethel) to the
American Consul at Nassau (Fisher)
No. 4638A
Bahamas, 28 October,
1931.
Sir: With reference to your letter No.
624.4.FDF. of the 20th October applying for certified documents
relating to the arrivals at and departures of certain vessels
from ports in this Colony, I am directed to point out that had
any of these vessels cleared foreign with cargoes of liquor from
one of the ports of Nassau, Bimini or West End, the information
would appear in the list of such vessels which are regularly
supplied to your office. I am to add that, under instructions
received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, of which
your office has been previously informed, this Government is
required to supply you with information in general terms only
respecting vessels clearing from ports of this Colony with
substantial cargoes of liquor destined for ports outside the
Colony on or adjacent to the East Coast of America between
Panama and the St. Lawrence. In this
connection I am to refer you to letters from this office of 18th
September, 1925, and 28th January, 1926, copies of which are
enclosed for convenience of reference.48
2. There has hitherto been no departure from this rule excepting
where further information has been required for adjudication on
seizure of vessels by United States Authorities and having
regard to the fact that the present practice is the outcome of
negotiation between the Governments of the United States of
America and Great Britain this Government will not take upon
itself to alter the existing rule.
I have [etc.]
