711.4215 Air Pollution/600
The Minister in Canada (Robbins) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 20 of March 20, 6 p.m.,25 authorizing me to sign on behalf of the United States a convention dealing with the Trail Smelter problem and conforming to the draft transmitted as an enclosure to a note dated December 31, 1934, from the Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, copies of which were forwarded to the Department with my despatch No. 989 of January 1, 1935.26
I am enclosing, for the Department’s information, copy of the note which I have today addressed to the Secretary of State for External Affairs on this subject.25
I may add for the Department’s information that prior to the delivery of my note, Dr. O. D. Skelton, Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs, was informally notified of the Department’s acceptance of the draft submitted, including the verbal changes indicated in Article 3. Dr. Skelton expressed great satisfaction that the two Governments have at last been able to reach an agreement on this question. Upon being asked whether he could give an informal indication as to a possible date for signing the convention, Dr. Skelton stated that it depended largely upon the health of the Prime Minister. If the latter is unable to sign on behalf of Canada, this task will probably fall to the Acting Prime Minister, Sir George Perley. Dr. Skelton promised to look into the matter at once and to notify me as soon as possible.
Respectfully yours,