Office of the Historian

811.34544/481: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

London, January 25, 1941.
[Received January 26—10:55 a.m.]

294. From President’s Base Lease Commission. We arrived today and conferred informally with Sir Alan Burns, Assistant Under Secretary of Colonial Office, who will preside at business meetings. Present plan calls for formal opening meeting Tuesday morning80 with first business meeting Tuesday afternoon. Meetings will ordinarily be held twice daily thereafter in attempt to finish in 2 weeks. British have suggested following agenda:

  • “1. Form of lease or other document.
  • 2. Provision as to satisfactory use of leased territory.
  • 3. Boundaries of sites, (a) Newfoundland, (b) Antigua, (c) Bahamas, (d) Bermuda, (e) British Guiana, (f) Jamaica, (g) St. Lucia, (h) Trinidad.
  • 4. Questions relating to the services (a) command and policy as to defence, (b) reciprocal use in peace and war of: (1) naval bases, anchorages and dockyards, (2) military airdromes, (c) radio stations, (d) local flying regulations, (e) meteorological stations, (f) hydrographic surveys.
  • 5. Jurisdiction.
  • 6. Apprehension and surrender of offenders.
  • 7. Regulations in areas (e. g., health, gambling, etc.)
  • 8. Immigration and shipping (a) immigration laws; (b) quarantine (including plant quarantine); (c) payment by United States ships of (1) harbor dues, (2) light dues, (3) pilotage dues; (d) nature of lights put up by United States Government; (e) coastwise shipping; (f) harbor facilities in leased areas for British and other shipping.
  • 9. Customs duties.
  • 10. Import and export control in time of war.
  • 11. Financial (a) currency, (b) exchange control.
  • 12. Establishment of businesses and professions by United States citizens and others in leased areas.
  • 13. Employment of local labor.
  • 14. Use of British and local goods.
  • 15. Postal and telegraph (a) postal facilities, (b) cable, wireless and telephone facilities in leased areas, (c) censorship in time of war.
  • 16. Traffic regulations in leased areas.
  • 17. Particular rights to be reserved in leased areas, e. g., (a) minerals and oil, (b) treasure trove, (c) antiquities, (d) fishing and other local industry.
  • 18. Expropriation of private property.
  • 19. Treatment of colored population.
  • 20. Additional costs of administration due to establishment of United States bases.
  • 21. Additional compensation to Newfoundland and colonies.
  • 22. Civil aviation.
  • 23. Liability of United States contractors to Newfoundland or Colonial income tax, professional fees, etc.”

Colonial Office suggests that one lease for each base containing all provisions, separate documents assumedly, viz. (1) a separate lease for each base to contain full description of geographic areas and the usual provisions having to do with occupation and use of land, and (2) a general agreement to cover the administrative and jurisdictional matters for all bases. This agreement would be embodied in an exchange of notes or other agreed form and would be incorporated in each lease by reference. We request your views.

The reason for this as stated to us is the belief that this would facilitate the task of the British Government in persuading possibly obstructive local legislatures to enact necessary legislation without resorting to an act of Parliament. (See Embassy’s 228, January 21, 10 p.m.) [Base Lease Commission.]

Johnson
  1. January 28.↩