841.8595/51

The Secretary of State to the British Chargé ( Campbell )

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the British Chargé d’Affaires ad interim and refers to the Embassy’s note no. 369 of June 16, 1941 suggesting the desirability of permitting the British military personnel on board British merchant vessels to serve as watchmen against sabotage while in United States ports.

The Secretary of State perceives no objection to the Embassy’s proposal provided that the guards perform their duties exclusively aboard the vessels concerned. It is, of course, understood that such guards as may be assigned for duty on British registered vessels by [Page 395] the masters thereof will not interfere in any way with the right of Coast Guard officers and men to board the vessels at will in carrying out their official duties, that such guards will not interfere with the duties of any other officers of the Federal Government or the state or local Governments presently exercised by those officers in carrying out their official functions, and that the military status of the guards will in no way affect the right of American Courts to take jurisdiction in the event of disturbances occurring in territorial waters of the United States.