811.34553B/7–644: Telegram
The Ambassador in Portugal (Norweb) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6—12 p.m.]
2092. I have just returned from an interview with Salazar who stated that he had asked Col. Serrano81 to make a résumé of the Pan-Air survey report and that it was his intention to study this résumé tonight. (See Embassy’s 2081, July 5, 6 p.m.82). He assured me that he was fully aware that time was of the essence and that he would give me his answer as soon as he had made up his mind.
I went over with him in detail our most immediate needs and requirements and I was gratified to observe that at no time did he indicate any surprise but nodded his head in apparent assent and showed a genuine appreciation of the character and size of the project. Among the points which I emphasized were:
- 1.
- The time element.
- 2.
- The immediate need for men to begin the construction. At this point he inquired whether some of these were available at Terceira to which I replied in the affirmative.
- 3.
- The need for an emergency landing strip which I said could be completed in about 10 days. I explained that Col. Serrano had left his men at Santa Maria and they were awaiting authorization from Lisbon to begin this work at once.
- 4.
- The need for communications to be established between Santa Maria and Terceira as soon as the emergency strip was completed.
- 5.
- An understanding as to method of construction and conditions of ultimate use. I informed Salazar that three 10,000-ton Liberty ships would be needed and that the port facilities would require improvements to which he replied that he had already gone into this question with the Ministry of Marine and that he realized the need for haste in view of weather conditions after October 1st. He appeared interested that the report showed that the problem of constructing a trans-Atlantic airfield on Santa Maria would be simpler than that at Terceira and he concluded by stating that Serrano had been impressed with the high quality of the American survey party and of their preliminary report.
It is disappointing that today’s interview was not more conclusive but I am left with the impression that Dr. Salazar’s thought has advanced sufficiently deeply into this project as to exclude the probability of his reconsidering any of the more important phases. I am [Page 43] reasonably confident that we may expect to hear further from him on this matter within the next few days.
Campbell and I have no indication as yet as to when we shall be received on the Timor matter.