811.79680/76: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 28—10:44 a.m.]
959. Department’s 438, February 5, 8 p.m.; and Department’s 814, February 24, 6 p.m.1 With regard to the proposed establishment of an air route between the west coast of Africa and Australia, the Embassy has just received a note dated February 27 signed by Mr. Eden2 which in substance reads as follows:
I understand that the proposed route is to be used only during the present war emergency for purposes wholly concerned with the war and that it is not intended that it should be used commercially. I have the honor to inform you that, on this understanding, the British Government welcome the establishment of the proposed air route through British territory. The British Government however wish to make it clear that should the American Government now or after the war wish to make use of this service for commercial purposes the British Government will expect to be further consulted.
With respect to the further points mentioned by the Department of State, the British Government has no objection to the United States authorities communicating direct with the appropriate local authorities in the case of those territories for which the British are responsible. These authorities are, in respect of Mombasa, the Governor of Kenya at Nairobi; in respect of Diego García in the Chagos Archipelago, the Governor of Mauritius; in respect of Seychelles, the Governor at Mahé; and in respect of Mbeya, the Governor of Tanganyika at Dar es Salaam. It is suggested, in the case of Cocos Islands, that the American authorities should communicate with General Wavell.3 The American authorities, it is presumed, are in contact, in so far as Port Hedland is concerned, with the Commonwealth Government.
[Page 19]It may be possible in the case of Mombasa and Mbeya for any necessary improvements to the existing aerodromes to be undertaken by the Colonial authorities in question.
The American authorities will doubtless explore this possibility as soon as information is available as to the improvements if any that may be necessary. At present it is not clear whether the establishment of a landing ground in Coëtivy Island would be practicable or whether more promising possibilities are afforded by the Island of Mahé. This point no doubt will be considered by the American authorities in consultation with the Governor of Seychelles when the requisite surveys have been undertaken.
In communicating the above, I would venture to point out that the hope has been expressed by the Air Ministry that the American authorities in developing the section of the route as far as Mombasa should adhere to their declared intention of following the route Ascension Island, Leopoldville, Bukama or Elizabethville, Mbeya, Mombasa, and would not go farther north than this in order that the Takoradi–Khartoum air route would not be jeopardized by over-crowding.
It is my understanding that insofar as the Free French and Belgian territories are concerned the American authorities are in communication with the Free French authorities and the Belgian Government.