[Enclosure]
The Canadian Acting Secretary of State for
External Affairs (Perley) to the American Minister (Robbins)
No. 124
Ottawa, October 3,
1934.
Sir: I have the honour to refer to my
note No. 35, dated the 24th March, 1932,98 and to the subsequent
correspondence concerning the deepening of the channels in the
Detroit River, and particularly to my note No. 25, dated the
10th April, 1934.99
I understand that Major R. C. Crawford, District Engineer to the
War Department, Detroit, in a letter dated the 8th August, 1934,
transmitted to District Engineer Harcourt of the Canadian
Department of Public Works, a letter dated the 16th August [sic], from the R. C. Huffman Construction
Company, contractors employed on the deepening of the channel in
the lower Detroit River. In the Company’s letter application was
made for permission to leave a minimum depth of 9 feet instead
of 12 feet, as also to increase the area of the spoil ground
already approved and located in Canadian waters to the east of
and immediately north of what is known as Detroit River Light in
the lower Detroit River, Michigan. The area over which the
contractors wish to widen the spoil ground has a width of 1,000
[Page 994]
feet and a length
extending opposite station 4500 to the south end of the disposal
area as already approved by my note No. 25, to which reference
has already been made.
The disposal [proposal?] thus transmitted
by Major Crawford has been considered by an inter-departmental
Committee, consisting of Canadian Government engineers, who have
reported that there is no objection to leaving a depth of 9 feet
below low water datum over the spoil area in question, instead
of 12 feet, as already approved; but that, in their opinion, the
easterly limit of the proposed additional spoil area should
extend from the south-east corner of the proposed additional
area to the north-east corner of the adjoining spoil area
already approved. The main reason for this proposed change in
the easterly limit is that such easterly limit would eliminate
any jogs or undesirable angles, and such line would be
approximately parallel to the line of the deep water prevailing
to the east of this spoil area.
I have the honour, therefore, to convey to you the concurrence of
the Canadian Government in the proposal thus transmitted by
Major Crawford, provided that there is compliance with the
suggestion made by the Committee, set forth above, and subject
to the general conditions contained in the correspondence to
which reference has been made. With regard to the suggestion of
the Committee as to the easterly limit of the proposed
additional spoil area, I understand that the matter has been
considered at a conference between the Canadian Government
engineers and the United States Government engineers, and that
there is no objection to complying with this suggestion.
Accept [etc.]
