365D.1163/139

The Financial Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions of the United Presbyterian Church of North America (R. W. Caldwell) to the Secretary of State

Dear Sir: We wish to thank you for your communication of April 12th with reference to our Mission properties in Western Ethiopia, and we are being guided by your suggestions in approaching the Italian authorities in regard to the appraisal of the value of these properties.

A cable message has now been sent to Addis Ababa to Mr. Duncan Henry at the American Mission Hospital, advising that the Government of Galla and Sidamo has undertaken the appraisal of the properties at Sayo and Gore in Western Ethiopia and directing him to contact these authorities immediately in regard to the valuation.

This step had not been taken previously for reasons stated in our letter to you on April 4th.

We shall be pleased to have you transmit a message to the Italian Government through the Embassy at Rome to the effect that Mr. Duncan Henry [Page 516] at Addis Ababa is now authorized to represent our society in negotiations relating to the appraisal of the Mission properties at Sayo and Gore.

We shall be glad to bear the expense of forwarding such a message in telegraphic form.

Thanking you, I am

Sincerely yours,

R. W. Caldwell