882.01/68

Memorandum by Mr. Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., of the Division of Western European Affairs

Today after the receipt of Monrovia’s telegram No. 44, December 15, 9 a.m., reporting in confidence that Great Britain would recognize Liberia on December 16 at 11 a.m., Mr. Dunn7 telephoned Mr. Broadmead8 at the British Embassy. Mr. Dunn recalled to Mr. Broadmead that last year the British had declined our suggestion that they recognize Liberia on the ground that their public opinion demanded that they await a settlement of the Kru question. Mr. Dunn then said that according to our reports the Kru question had now been satisfactorily settled by the surrender of Chief Nimley, and that we had heard rumors that the British were therefore about to recognize Liberia; that the American Government would be very glad to hear that this was true.

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Mr. Broadmead replied that the Embassy had received a copy of an instruction to the British representative in Monrovia directing him to present his credentials as Chargé d’Affaires, but that the Embassy had received no instructions from the Foreign Office to so inform the State Department. Mr. Broadmead confirmed the foregoing in a subsequent telephone call to Mr. Dunn, and said that the Foreign Office instruction to Monrovia was dated November 17.

It is believed that the foregoing conversation will tend to remind the British of our interest in Liberia, and that we noticed in this instance their failure to keep us informed of their attitudes towards Liberia as we had them of ours in the past.

  1. Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs.
  2. Philip M. Broadmead, First Secretary of the British Embassy.