8BCRBT g
April 7th, 1940
Dear Mr. Secretary,
With reference to my letter of
yesterday informing you that a communication
had been made by the Allied Governments to
the Swedish and Norwegian Governments, I
enclose herein the text of a message which
I have been instructed to convey to the
President for his personal and secret
information.
Yours sincerely,
The Honourable
Cordell Hull,
Secretary of state of the United States,
Washington, D. C.
PRHM:DH

Personal and Confidential
Message for the president.
In addition to addressing these notes to
the SwediBh and Norwegian Governments the Allied
Governments have now decided to take certain
appropriate action in view of the situation
described therein.
They have reached the conclusion that they
can no longer acquiesce in the present position In
regard to the use of Norwegian territorial waters by
Germany.   As matters now stand Norwegian ships
engaged in commerce with Great Britain are being
continually and mercilessly sunk in defiance of the
laws of war, the Norwegian Government being unable
to take any measures to protect them. Meanwhile
German vessels are not only permitted to make use of
the whole length of Norwegian waters as a shield
against the Allied forces, but are actually being
accorded special protection in those waters by the
Norwegian Navy.
Though they realise that the Norwegian
attitude Is solely dictated by German threats and
pressure the Allied Governments are bound to consider
that these facts result in serious discrimination
against their interests and they accordingly intend to
mine certain stretches of Norwegian territorial waters
in order to prevent their use by German vessels. This
operation will   >robably take place early on Monday,
April 6th| and the Allied Governments will simultsneouely
issue a Joint declaration of their reasons for under-
taking It.
It/
JO
6*
-2-
It is possible that weather conditions
may necessitate a short postponement of the
operations and this emphasises the necessity for
absolute secrecy until the public declaration
Is issued.