No. 1156.
Pacific Islands (Certain)
91/ /// IH
BRITISH EMBASSY,
WA8HINGT0W, D.C.,
October 16th, 1939.
My Lord*
With reference to Sir Ronald LindsayVs
despatch No. 401 of the 6th April, I have the
honour to transmit to you the accompanying oopy
from the Federal Register of August 86th of a
proclamation issued by the president on August 81st
last "extending the period for the   establishment of
an adequate shipping service for, and deferring
extension of the coastwise laws to. Canton Island."
8. I regret to stats that owing to pressure
of other work, this proclamation only recently came
to my notice.     Being somewhat puzzled as to Its
purpose, X instructed the Counsellor of this Stab assy
to raise the matter informally with Mr. Plerrepont
Moffat at the State Department.   Mr. Moffat explained
that Pan-Amorloan Airways have had to sand quantities
of supplies to Canton Island for the preparation of
their landing ground there.    The only ship available
So convey these supplies from the West Coast of the
United States to the Island was a Norwegian vessel.
The Department of   Commerce, however, had found
themsSlves compelled by the Merchant Marina Act of
1980 to refuse to give the Norwegian vessel clearance
|jS£;     unlsss a certificate could be given by the State
Department that Canton is not United states territory,
or/
-M   ¦ . _ L:JP:ACEM:VALM:NT
The Bight Honourable
The Viscount Halifax, K. O.,
etc.,       etc., etc.
3 %y
or falling that unless an exception were made by
proclamation.     The State Department had found
itself unable to give the required certificate, in
view of the Anglo-American exchange of notes of
April 6 th, 1989*   Consequently this proclamation
had bean issued ad hoe by the Executive in order
to enable the said Norwegian ship to convey ita oargo
to the Island*
3« I assume that Your Lordship will not wlah
to raise any objection to this proclamation•   It mighf \
have been more courteous of the United States Govern*
ment to have informed His Majesty's iBmbassy of it
before It was issued, and I would suggest that if
at any time His Majesty's Government In the United
Kingdom have occasion to issue an order-in-council
affecting Canton and Knderbury Islands, prior notifi-
cation should bo made to the United States Qoverna^hf|p
I have the honour to be,
with the highest respect,
My Lord,
Your Lord ship'a moat ob;
humble servant,
(SOD) LOTHIAN
[OVER.
iuvhK*