The Portuguese Prime Minister (Salazar) to President Roosevelt 10
Mr. President: I have received by the hand of Mr. Paul Culbertson the message which Your Excellency directed to me, dated the 18th of the current month, relative to the construction of an airdrome on the Portuguese Island of Santa Maria.
Between the date of sending Your Excellency’s message and its delivery at Lisbon, there took place conversations with Mr. Ambassador Norweb which had already furthered the course of the negotiations and clarified the points of view of the Portuguese Government, and the considerations which it could form. Your Excellency is certainly informed of those conversations as well as of those with Messrs. Norweb and Culbertson which followed. Perhaps you are aware also of the correspondence exchanged with Pan American Airways.
In responding at this time to the message of Your Excellency, it does not appear necessary, therefore, to repeat that which Your Excellency already knows through your Ambassador, merely to confirm that which will have already been told by him in regard to the care which this project has merited from the Portuguese Government.
Your Excellency can be certain that I have never ceased to have in mind the importance which the plan possesses for the mutual interests of our two countries. Similarly I have not forgotten the interest shown by the Government of the United States in commencing the work as soon as possible.
It appears to me that the fundamental accord with the construction company has been satisfactorily made so that the work can commence immediately and continue at the rate considered proper. Thus is realized the first and essential condition for all the future developments.
I have exerted my best efforts in the study of the matter to the end that it should not suffer delays and that it should enjoy all possible facilities on our part, as was Your Excellency’s desire and also mine.
I take advantage [etc.]
- Copy obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N. Y.↩