In this connection I am enclosing copy of a further note (No. 4 of
January 10, 1934,) which I received this morning from the Canadian
Department of External Affairs. The latter’s notes No. 27 and No.
68, referred to by Dr. Skelton, were enclosed with Mr. Boal’s
despatches mentioned above.
[Enclosure]
The Canadian Secretary of State for External
Affairs (Bennett) to the
American Minister (Robbins)
No. 4
Ottawa, January 10,
1934.
Sir: I have the honour to refer to my
note No. 27, dated the 21st March, 1933, and also to my note No.
68, dated the 10th June, 1933, both concerning the operations
which the War Department was proposing to conduct in Canadian
waters in connection with the dredging of certain shoal areas in
the St. Clair River.
In the first note, to which reference has been made, the
necessary permission was granted to carry out the proposed work,
and there was included a condition that the United States
Engineers, having decided upon the extent of the proposed
improvement should, before proceeding with the dredging and
disposal of spoil material, submit the result of their further
studies to the engineers of the Department of Public Works, and
secure the concurrence of the Canadian Government engineers
therein.
In the second note, to which reference has been made, the
concurrence of the Canadian Government engineers to the
submission made by the United States Government engineers in
respect to the improvement of that section of the St. Clair
River Channel, from the head of the St. Clair Flats Canal,
up-stream as far as Algonac, Michigan (about opposite the head
of Walpole Island in Ontario) was brought to your attention.
I understand that, pursuant to the conditions in the first note
to which reference has been made, the United States Government
engineers have
[Page 98]
submitted
to District Engineer Harcourt of the Canadian Department of
Public Works, under date of November 22nd, 1933, nine plans
covering the section from Algonac, Michigan to the foot of Lake
Huron, and have indicated thereon the improvement they propose
to effect in that portion of the river from Algonac north as far
as the station marked “Birch”, which is just down-stream of
Marysville, Michigan, and have outlined the method to be
followed in carrying out the said works. These submissions have
been examined by the Canadian Government engineers, and I have
been authorized by the Department of Public Works to request you
to notify the United States authorities that the work may be
proceeded with in accordance with the scheme submitted, in so
far as the section of the river improvement under this portion
of their proposal is concerned, and in accordance with the
conditions in the first note referred to above.57
Accept [etc.]
O. D. Skelton
For Secretary of State for External Affairs
