740.00111A Ports/1

The Canadian Legation to the Department of State

Memorandum

In the event of the Royal Canadian Navy wishing to transfer any of His Majesty’s Canadian ships from one coast of Canada to the other it would be of great assistance to know that fuel could be obtained in the ports of the United States. It would therefore be appreciated if the Legation could be informed of the attitude which the Government of the United States would adopt if it were proposed that in the course of such a journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific or from the Pacific to the Atlantic Canadian vessels should call for fuel at San Pedro and the Canal Zone. In no case would there be any question of ships remaining in port for more than 24 hours except under stress of weather or due to damage, and there would also be no question of using United States ports as a base for belligerent operations.