882.1561/10
President Roosevelt to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Replying to your letter of 16 June 194327 in regard to the construction of a port in Liberia, I have consulted the Secretary of the Navy on this question. He recommends that construction of the port be proceeded with as practicable, and that as an initial step a survey be made, under direction of the Navy Department, to determine its location.
The Secretary of the Navy desires that provision be made in the port for establishment of an outlying base for submarines and patrols. It is suggested that you communicate directly with him in regard to further procedure with the project.
The interest of the Navy Department is associated with the security of South America, particularly Brazil, but the value of a port in Liberia is largely dependent upon continued use by the United States of Ascension Island and Dakar and the air fields at those places. Please be guided by the above considerations in future conversations by the Department of State with interested countries.
Very sincerely yours,
- Not printed.↩