740.00111A Combat Areas/195
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Canadian Minister came in to see me today, at his request. He said that his inquiry about the possible use of a Canadian port as a British control station was already answered by Mr. Welles; that he now understood the British were considering the port of St. John, New Brunswick; that he had personally suggested that the British admiralty had better take over complete control of the station, rather than leaving it to the Canadian authorities, so that disputes about the operation of the station might continue to be between the British government and our own. He indicated that there was some slight irritation against the British in Ottawa as to the way in which the matter had been handled.
He likewise observed that he understood the Canadian government was working on the draft St. Lawrence Waterway treaty25 and that he hoped that they would have some views in another week.