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The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Matthews)
2006. It is understood that the British Admiralty desires that ships which are being sent from North Africa to Portugal to pick up French refugees being evacuated from Spain should call at Lisbon. The Portuguese Government strongly prefers that they call at Vila Real which is 500 miles closer to North Africa. Our Legation in Lisbon states that Salazar is most reluctant to have the refugees come through Lisbon and that insistence on Lisbon as the embarkation point may jeopardize the entire action. Please take this matter up with the appropriate British authorities and report as soon as possible.