852.48/1473: Telegram
The Minister in Portugal (Fish) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:23 p.m.]
745. Department’s 550, March 3 [31], 1 [11] p.m. There have as yet been no organized transports of French refugees into Portugal.
Individuals occasionally manage to cross the border illegally usually with assistance of de Gaullists. In this case they are usually sent to England.
The port question is apparently still unsettled. The British now maintain that Vila Real is not deep enough for the vessel concerned. Meanwhile we understand that the French were diverting the vessels at this time for some other purpose with the idea of making them available later. In view of this situation, the British Naval Attaché here has proposed to the Admiralty that April 17 be fixed as the date of arrival of the first two vessels at a Portuguese port.
The British Ambassador said yesterday that he understood that this Legation will be expected to take responsibility for the care of these refugees while on Portuguese territory. The Portuguese have said nothing to me about this and I have hesitated to ask them in view of the indications in Ambassador Hayes’ telegram 626, March 15, to Department that it was desirable to keep negotiations on these matters out of Lisbon and in the hands of the Portuguese Ambassador at Madrid. If it is true that this Legation is to be charged with the care of the refugees on Portuguese territory I should appreciate early instructions to this effect and I must also recommend that the Department arrange for an immediate initial allotment $25,000 for this purpose. Until we know the port to which refugees must proceed we [Page 283] can not make any estimate of expenses. We might require funds however at any time and any unused amount can always be returned.
The Legation is investigating the question of organization of this relief action as among the various agencies represented here and I shall telegraph the conclusions shortly.
Repeated to Madrid.