882.796/19: Telegram
The Chargé in Liberia (Hibbard) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:54 p.m.]
314. I am informed that on September 6 the British Foreign Office requested their Embassy in Washington to obtain permission from the War Department for the British Overseas Airways Company to make regular as opposed to emergency stops at Fisherman Lake for refueling and other technical purposes in order to lessen the distance between stages on the flying boat route from Bathurst to Lagos. It was added that this would permit the carrying of greater loads made necessary by constantly increasing traffic pressure on this route.
On September 20 the Royal Air Force delegation in Washington informed the British Foreign Office that the War Department had affirmed on a number of occasions the agreement permitting British craft to land at Fisherman Lake and that it was felt further action was unnecessary it being assumed the permission already secured covered regular as well as emergency stops which McBride60 and I believe is not the case.
[Page 414]Under the terms of our agreement with the Liberian Government we have the right to permit to the United Nations the use of any of our installations here in the common war effort. This British request, however, appears to be of a commercial character and we do not believe it would be granted by the Liberian Government under normal circumstances. The British have already requested an installation at Fisherman Lake for war purposes which is out of all proportion to their needs. I suggest, therefore, that the War Department investigate further the request of BOAC and consult with the State Department before granting it.
- Harry A. McBride, Special Representative of President Roosevelt in Liberia.↩