811.34553B/44: Telegram
The Minister in Portugal (Norweb) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 1, 1944—4:15 a.m.]
3131. For the Secretary, the Under Secretary and Matthews. I saw Salazar this evening and followed the plan of negotiations set forth in my 3118 of December 30, 6 p.m. He accepted the formula for Lagens as set out in your telegram No. 2343 of December 23, midnight, and is quite agreeable to American personnel proceeding to the island forthwith on this basis.
[Page 581]In the matter of the survey party our discussion was protracted. He had received reports from the Portuguese Army and air officials of the probable suitability of Santa Maria but at the same time he, obviously for special reasons, had hopes that Horta might prove equally acceptable. In any case, it was apparent he did not view with pleasure the idea of a group of avowedly American Army, or, for that matter, British Army and naval officers surveying the islands of the Azores. Therefore, having in mind his “allergy to theory and imperviousness to practice”, I suggested a compromise which he agreed to, namely, that the United States Government would recommend to him an American company capable of conducting such a survey and that he, on behalf of the Portuguese Government, would invite them to conduct the survey. At the same time, I made it clear that such a survey would include sites for aids to navigation, et cetera. The spirit in which he accepted this compromise may be judged by his remark that he supposed that now all American companies capable of conducting a survey of this kind were more or less under American Army or Navy control. Accordingly I have no doubt that you may induct into the personnel of the company making the surveys capable members from the armed services, provided they will be at pains to preserve their civilian guise and that there are bona fide company personnel present. On this matter the Army and Navy advisers here are telegraphing their comments and recommendations to their respective Departments.