890D.927/138: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 25—11 a.m.]
20. Consulate General’s despatch No. 608, September 24, 1940.6 After consultation with McEwan and the French Director of Archaeology, I feel very strongly that we should make an attempt to defend and to reserve the Tell Fakhariyah concession for future use even if the Oriental Institute does not wish to continue excavations at the present time. To acquiesce in the cancellation and to accept indemnity would of course imply waiver of all claims to the site, and surrender of objects and records of the evacuation [excavation]. Incidentally French authorities would probably insist that indemnity be spent in Syria. Please inform the Oriental Institute of the above.
German agent von Hentig (see my telegram No. 13, January 17, 2 p.m.6) sent for McEwan a few days ago and suggested to him continuation of Fakhariyah excavations jointly with the German Archaeological Institute. I have told McEwan that I personally considered such cooperation most undesirable and doubted whether the Oriental [Page 664] Institute would find it acceptable. I did not however tell him I had good reason to believe that von Hentig is attempting to introduce as many German agents as possible and that archaeological excavations would furnish innocent looking means—to which the French could not well object—of spreading propaganda and spending money among the Bedouins. This is the reason why I believe we should contest the German claim to Fakhariyah.