DEPARTMENT OF STATE
FOR TKS PRESS
JANUARY 24,
No. 45
1940
The Canadian Delegation on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence
Basin Project arrived in Washington on January 21st. On
Monday, January 22nd, conversations with the United States
Delegation were resumed in the Department of State. These
conversations continued through the afternoon of January 24th.
Dr. 0, D. Skelton, Under Secretary of State for External
Affairs and head of the Canadian Delegation, and his
associates left Washington to return to Ottawa this after-
noon.    Before their departure, the following Joint statement
on behalf of the two Delegations was agreed upon:
"During the discussions the whole field
was covered, and definite progress was made.
The discussions have now reached the point
where it is necessary for the two Delegations
to report to their respective Governments on
various matters of policy requiring their
consideration and decision.
"The engineering advisers of the two
Governments have reached substantial agree-
ment on the feasibility and desirability of
a project in the International Rapids section
of the St. Lawrence River which would involve
a main dam in the vicinity of Bnrnhart Island,
with a power house in each country, and a
control dam upstream.    This project is based
upon a plan which was discussed in some detail
in the 1925 report of the Joint 3o?.rd of Engineers.
The engineers of the two countries are in agree-
ment that such a project is sound fron an
engineering standpoint, cheaper in cost than
the project on which the 1932 Trerty was based, and
affords full protection for all the interests in
the various sections of the St. Lawrence River.
"The negotiations will continue through
diplomatic channels."