|| BRITISH SMBASSY, WASHINGTON, D. C. f December 22nd, 1939 No. 1444 My Lord, =- \Xl With reference to ay telegram Ho* 939 of December 20th X have the honour to tranemlt to Your Lordship herewith a copy of the note received from P-o the Secretary of State in reply to the note which X ^ addressed to him on November 9th stating that His Majesty's Government felt obliged to reserve their rights to exercise their belligerents rights In respect of United States vessels and require them if necessary to put into a contraband control base even though under the American neutrality legislation they might be forbidden to visit such ports. 2. I also enclose for convenience of reference a copy of my note of September 10th to which Ifr, Cordell Hull refers and In which I informed him of the establishment of contraband control bases at Weymouth, Hamsgate, Kirkwall., Gibraltar, and Haifa* This note follows the lines of the draft set out in Appendix E on page 65 of the War Instructions "A". X have the honour to be, with the highest respect, Uy Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, i (300) WfHIAR The Right Honourable The Viscount Halifax, K.G., etc*, etc., etc.