125.199/48: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul at Seville (Bay)
Substance of your November 5, 1 p.m.94 transmitted to Ambassador Bowers and following telegram has now been received from him:
“Immediately Chapman made necessary application to military Commandant at Irun through the usual channel for salvo conducto to Bilbao. Impossible to go there without one. Yrujo appeared pleased that Franco had agreed to the reopening of the Consulate. After three days nothing has reached the Commandant at Irun from Salamanca. I would suggest therefore that Bay be instructed to inform Queipo de Llano of the hitch and request through him that, first, Franco ask his diplomatic cabinet and military subordinates in Salamanca to instruct Irun Commandant to issue the salvo conducto to Bilbao; second, that Franco be asked to notify the Government at Bilbao not to interfere with our reopening of our Consulate. This is essential since the Governor refused permission to the French without instructions from Salamanca.
“There evidently is a lack of coordination between Franco and his diplomatic and military agents.”
You are requested to approach General Queipo de Llano in accordance with the Ambassador’s suggestions.
- Not printed; in it Consul Bay reported that General Queipo de Llano had informed him orally that “Chapman may return to Bilbao” (123.C 362/517).↩