22nd November, 19¥>.
Deer Mr. Acting Secretary,
As you will be aware the question of the areas
to "be leased to the United States authorities in connexion
with the proposed establishment of United States bases
in Newfoundland was dealt with in a letter which I addressed
to the Secretary of the Navy on November 11th.
I have now been instructed to inform you that
as regards the proposed bases in Bermuda, the Bahamas,
Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia and British Guiana, all the
British authorities concerned have now been able to consider
the proposals put forward by Rear Admiral Greenslade during
his recent visits to these colonies and have now reached
agreement as to the areas which should be leased and the
facilities which should be accorded to the United State3
authorities in the different colonies.     It is understood
that these areas and facilities, a description of which
is contained in the schedule annexed to this letter, are
in accordance with the requirements of the United States
authorities.     You will moreover note from this schedule
that the question of the grant of certain further faci-
lities at Bermuda and St. Lucia is still under considera-
tion.       The whole question of the area to be leased and
facilities to be granted in Trinidad is also still under
examination by the 3ritish authorities.
i
In the majority of cases the exact boundaries
of the areas to be leased, have yet to be defined and
it will of course eventually be necessary for formal leases
to be concluded in terms still to be agreed on, leasing
the areas in question to the United States authorities for
the period of 99 years,        Before however such leases
can be concluded it will be necessary for various questions
concerning inter alia matters of administration and
jurisdiction to be discussed between our two governments.
As the Ambassador has already explained in his letter of
October li+th to Colonel Knox and on other occasions, the
British Government feel that the discussions on theso
points could most appropriately take place in London, and
I have been instructed to express the hope that the United
States Government will also share this view.
His Majesty's Government have however no desirs
to suggest that work on the various bases should be post- 1 —
poned pending the completion of the formal leases and I am
authorised to inform you that as far as they are concerned
the British authorities are entirely agreeable that work
should be begun by the American authorities without further
delay on all the sites their locations of which have alrea^'j
been agreed upon and which are set out in the attached A
schedule .      In the case of the proposed base in Antigua, ^fl
however, His Majesty's Government are anxious for the      /jw,
reasons set out in my letter of   November Uth to the Vc1'"
Secretary of the Navy, and in order to avoid disturb!ng^^^m
the local labour position, that if possible any major ^
constructional work in that island should be postponed
until June, 19U1.    I am to express the hope that the ^nlt^
States authorities may find it possible to meet the vxjws
of the British authorities in this respect.
Believe me,
Dear Mr. Acting Secretary,
Very sincerely yours,
The Honourable (SGD) N. BUTLER.
Sumner Welles,
Acting Secretary of State gf the United States,
Washington, D. C.