810.20 Defense/3461: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 19—1:46 a.m.]
104. Admiral Allard44 of the Chilean Navy today made the “unofficial” suggestion to our Naval Attaché45 here that if the United States would furnish the necessary extra ships the Chilean Navy would, on request, be happy to take over patrol duties in the southeastern Pacific now being carried out by our units. They urge as an argument that the Chilean naval reserve consists of 30,000 trained men.
It was also intimated that as far as the Chilean Navy was concerned it would not object to the United States undertaking the defense of Easter Island. The Naval Attaché has been properly non-committal to these overtures which may be the prelude of official requests.