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The Secretary of State (Hull) to the British Ambassador (Lothian)
Department of State
Washington
September 2, 1940.
Excellency:
I have received your note of September 2, 1940, of which the text
is as follows:
I have the honour under instructions from His Majesty's Principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to inform you that in view
of the friendly and sympathetic interest of His Majesty's Government
in the United Kingdom in the national security of the United States
and their desire to strengthen the ability of the United States
to cooperate effectively with the other nations of the Americas
in the defence of the Western Hemisphere, His Majesty's Government
will secure the grant to the Government of the United States,
freely and without consideration, of the lease for immediate Establishment
and use of naval and air bases and facilities for entrance thereto
and the operation and protection thereof, on the Avalon Peninsula
and on the southern coast of Newfoundland, and on the east coast
and on the Great Bay of Bermuda.
Furthermore, in view of the above and in view of the desire of
the United States to acquire additional air and naval bases in
the Caribbean and in British Guiana, and without endeavouring
to place a monetary or commercial value upon the many tangible
and intangible rights and properties involved, His Majesty's Government
will make available to the United States for immediate establishment
and use naval and air bases and facilities for entrance thereto
and the operation and protection thereof, on the eastern side
of the Bahamas, the southern coast of Jamaica, the western coast
of St. Lucia, the west coast of Trinidad in the Gulf of Paria,
in the island of Antigua and in British Guiana within fifty miles
of Georgetown, in exchange for naval and military equipment and
material which the United States Government will transfer to His
Majesty's Government.
All the bases and facilities referred to in the preceding paragraphs
will be leased to the United States for a period of ninety- nine
years, free from all rent and charges other than such compensation
to be mutually agreed on to be paid by the United States in order
to compensate the owners of private property for loss by expropriation
or damage arising out of the establishment of the bases and facilities
in question.
His Majesty's Government, in the leases to be agreed upon, will
grant to the United States for the period of the leases all the
rights, power, and authority within the bases leased, and within
the limits of the territorial waters and air spaces adjacent to
or in the vicinity of such bases, necessary to provide access
to and defence of such bases, and appropriate provisions for their
control.
Without prejudice to the above-mentioned rights of the United
States authorities and their jurisdiction within the leased areas,
the adjustment and reconciliation between the jurisdiction of
the authorities of the United States within these areas and the
jurisdiction of the authorities of the territories in which these
areas are situated, shall be determined by common agreement.
The exact location and bounds of the aforesaid bases, the necessary
seaward, coast and anti-aircraft defences, the location of sufficient
military garrisons, stores and other necessary auxiliary facilities
shall be determined by common agreement. His Majesty's Government
are prepared to designate immediately experts to meet with experts
of the United States for these purposes. Should these experts
be unable to agree in any particular situation, except in the
case of Newfoundland and Bermuda, the matter shall be settled
by the Secretary of State of the United States and His Majesty's
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
I am directed by the President to reply to your note as follows:
The Government of the United States appreciates the declarations
and the generous action of His Majesty's Government as contained
in your communication which are destined to enhance the national
security of the United States and greatly to strengthen its ability
to cooperate effectively with the other nations of the Americas
in the defense of the Western Hemisphere. It therefore gladly
accepts the proposals.
The Government of the United States will immediately designate
experts to meet with experts designated by His Majesty's Government
to determine upon the exact location of the naval and air bases
mentioned in your communication under acknowledgment.
In consideration of the declarations above quoted, the Government
of the United States will immediately transfer to His Majesty's
Government fifty United States Navy' destroyers generally referred
to as the twelve hundred-ton type.
Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.
His Excellency
The Right Honorable The Marquess of Lothian, C. H.,
British Ambassador.
Source: Private Laws, Concurrent Resolutions, Treaties, International Agreements Other Than Treaties, and Proclamations. Part 2 of United States Statutes at Large Containing the Laws and Concurrent Resolutions Enacted During the Second and Third Sessions of the Seventy-Sixth Congress of the United States of America, 1939-1941, and Treaties, International Agreements Other Than Treaties, Proclamations, and Reorganization Plans. Vol. 54. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1941), 2406-2408.
3 November
1999