882.001 Barclay, Edwin/84
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Villard)
In the course of conferences with President Barclay in New York on June 17 and 18 I described what we proposed to do in regard to making a survey of the port sites in Liberia. On June 18 I conveyed the message of President Roosevelt to the effect that he had agreed with our recommendation that the survey should be made by a commission appointed by the Navy Department.
President Barclay was visibly pleased that the matter had advanced so far. However, he said jokingly that before the turkey was roasted [Page 682] it would like to have a chance to say a few words as to the manner in which it would be carved up.
President Barclay said that the only condition he attached to the development of a port in his country was that it should be economically beneficial to Liberia. He said that he fully realized the strategic purposes to which it would be placed by the United States Government; that he had gathered as much from his conversation with President Roosevelt in Liberia; and that this strategic use of a harbor in Liberia would be satisfactory to him and to the Liberian Government. Nevertheless, any port which did not take into account the economic possibilities of Liberia and their systematic development could not meet with Liberia’s approval.
The plan of appointing a United States naval commission to examine the port sites and make recommendations was fully approved by President Barclay, as well as by President-elect Tubman. Although the exact naval use of such a port was not mentioned, I received the impression that any manner in which the Navy desired to make use of the site would be agreeable to the Liberian Government. The President suggested that the sites to be examined should include Mamba Point at Monrovia, the mouth of the St. Paul’s River, Marshall, Baffu Bay, and Fisherman Lake. President Barclay said that he personally would prefer not to have the harbor at Monrovia itself. He pointed out that Baffu Bay was ideal from the strategic point of view, but that no development whatever existed there and that it had no particular relation to the economy of the country.
I assured President Barclay that the naval engineers to be appointed for the purpose of the survey would have access to all the data in our possession and that they would fully take into account the desire of the Liberian Government to have the port located where it would benefit the country economically. President Barclay said that if the engineers approached the problem in a detached manner and took into consideration any recommendations or suggestions which the Liberian Government might have, it would be satisfactory to him.