811.7490F/12–3144: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 31—9:37 a.m.]
11579. The following communication has just been received from the Foreign Office:
“Nevile Butler8 in his letter to you No. W17867/1476/801 of the 20th December9 said that he hoped soon to be in a position to pass [Page 773] on to you certain suggestions by Cable and Wireless Limited for improving communications between Dhahran and the United States. We have now received the company’s proposals and consider that when they have been put into effect they should fully meet the practical requirements of the United States Government.
The company state that the relative situation of Bahrein and Dhahran is such that a much clearer and better telegraphic service with London and New York can be given by a station situated on the island of Bahrein than by a station on the mainland at Dhahran. The company therefore proposed to erect a 10kw transmitter with the necessary power plant receivers et cetera at their existing station at Bahrein which is already in communication with Aden, Muscat, Karachi and other places. This new station would be worked by the company’s operators and would be capable of giving a satisfactory direct service to London, New York and the other places mentioned.
It remains to consider the necessary link between Bahrein and Dhahran and in this respect the company are prepared to do whatever is necessary to give an entirely satisfactory service. If communication is required with other places on the mainland besides Dhahran the company would be glad to consider the matter on receiving further details.
You will thus see that these proposals provide in effect for an efficient and direct service from Dhahran and on learning that they are acceptable to your Government the company will enter into negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Government on this basis. It would no doubt be useful if the United States representative in Saudi Arabia were authorized to inform the Saudi Arabian Government that the proposals were acceptable to the United States Government.
It would then remain to consider the security aspect of these proposals.”