NARCOTIC DRUGS Exchange of notes at London December 23, 1927, and January 4 A copy of your letter No. F 7647/7433/87 of September 26, 1927, with a covering letter from me, a copy of which is enclosed, was forwarded to Colonel Arthur Woods at Geneva, and I understand he discussed there with Sir Malcolm Delevingne the proposal for the exchange of information in connection with the illicit traffic in drugs. I am today in receipt of a telegraphic instruction from my Government, quoted hereunder for your information: "December 22, 1927. "In view of the willingness of His Majesty's Government to arrange for the direct exchange of information between the officers charged with the control of the traffic in narcotic drugs in the United States and Great Britain respectively as evidenced by the reports of the Embassy and of Colonel Woods concerning the attitude of the appropriate officials of His Majesty's Government it seems unnecessary to send additional officials of the Treasury Department to London to complete arrangements. You are instructed to arrange with His Majesty's Government, on the basis of Colonel Woods' conversations, for: "(1) The direct exchange between the Treasury Department and the corresponding office in the foreign country of information and evidence with reference to persons engaged in the illicit traffic. This would include such information as photographs, criminal records, finger prints, Bertillion measurements, description of the methods which the persons in question have been found to use, the place from which they have operated, the partners they have worked with, etc. "(2) The immediate direct forwarding of information by letter or cable as to the suspected movements of narcotic drugs or of those involved in smuggling drugs if such movements might concern the other country; unless such information as this reaches its destination directly and speedily it is useless. "(3) Mutual co-operation in detective and in investigating work. The officer of the Treasury Department who would have charge on behalf of this Government of the co-operation in the suppression of the illicit traffic in narcotics is Colonel L. G. Nutt, whose mail and telegraph address is Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Narcotics, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C. "In case the proposed arrangement meets with the approval of His Majesty's Government, please report by telegram giving the name of the official with whom Colonel Nutt should communicate." You will note that they have deemed it unnecessary to send officials of the Treasury Department to London to complete the arrangements, the matter being left in my hands to settle. I shall come to see you about this some time after the holidays of next week, though possibly you may have decided to put me in direct conversation with the narcotic authorities to work out the details. In accordance with our conversation of this afternoon I am forwarding you the text of my cable to Washington. I trust it coincides with your views, but do not hesitate to make any criticism or suggestion. I shall forward you in a few days a copy of my letter to Washington on this same subject for your information. Yours sincerely, January 4, 6 p.m. (1928). [ENCLOSURE] In conversation today following provisional methods of communication were arranged. Apart from direct open mail service between Treasury Department and Home Office strictly confidential letters may be forwarded by Colonel Nutt to Department, then by pouch to this Embassy, for transmission to Home Office, and, in turn, strictly confidential letters from Home Office will be transmitted to Foreign Office, thence by pouch to British Embassy, Washington, for direct delivery to Colonel Nutt. All mail matter for London to be addressed Sir Malcolm Delevingne, Home Office, London. All mail matter for Washington will be addressed Colonel Nutt, Treasury Department, Washington. Apart from ordinary open cables between Treasury Department and Home Office very confidential cable messages may be transmitted in nonsecret U. S. Government code from Colonel Nutt through State Department to this Embassy for delivery to Home Office. Home Office, in turn, will forward strictly confidential cables in non-secret British Government code through Foreign Office to British Embassy, Washington, for direct delivery to Colonel Nutt. Cable address here Delevingne, Home Office, London. Telegrams from Home Office will be addressed Colonel Nutt, Treasury Department, Washington. Your approval by telegraph is requested. Letter with full particulars by next pouch. ATHERTON S.O. 17 The British Home Office to the American Embassy DEAR MR. ATHERTON, HOME OFFICE, 11th January, 1928 Many thanks for your note of the 4th enclosing the text of your cable to Washington. I have no criticisms or suggestions to make with regard to it. Pray excuse the few days' delay in replying. I thought it right to let the Foreign Office know the terms of the arrangement we have come to. They concur. Yours sincerely, R. ATHERTON, Esq. 308-581-74-31 MALCOLM DELEVINGNE NARCOTIC DRUGS Exchange of notes at Washington October 22, 1927, and January 16 and November 15, 1928 Entered into force November 15, 1928 Department of State files EXCELLENCY: The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador OCTOBER 22, 1927 Supplementing my note of October 3, 1927,1 in reply to your note No. 349 of May 24, 1927,1 regarding the smuggling of narcotic drugs into the Philippine Islands from Borneo, the Straits Settlements and China, I have the honor to state that the Acting Governor General of the Philippine Islands has telegraphed that the Philippine Government finds acceptable the suggestion that the arrangements for the mutual exchange of information concerning the seizure of drugs and the activities and movements of persons known to be engaged in the illicit traffic, which were agreed upon by the United States and British Governments in 1923,2 be extended to include the Philippine Islands, and has designated Mr. H. C. Anderson, Office of the Governor General, as the person to whom direct communication may be made. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurance of my highest consideration. His Excellency The Right Honorable FRANK B. KELLOGG Sir ESME HOWARD, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., C.V.O., 1 Not printed. Ambassador of Great Britain. * Exchange of notes at Washington June 29, Aug. 7, and Dec. 12 and 28, 1923, ante, p. 409. 470 The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State BRITISH EMBASSY, No. 26 SIR: WASHINGTON, D.C. January 16th, 1928 I have the honour to refer to your note of October 22nd last, in which you were so good as to inform me that the Acting Governor-General of the Philippine Islands had accepted the suggestion that the arrangements for the mutual exchange of information concerning the seizure of drugs and the activities and movements of persons known to be engaged in the illicit traffic in drugs, which were agreed upon by the United States Government and His Majesty's Government in 1923, be extended to include the Philippine Islands. I duly conveyed this information to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who has now instructed me to inform you that this proposal is acceptable to His Majesty's Government. With reference to my note No. 26 of January 16th regarding the arrangements for the mutual exchange of information concerning the seizure of drugs and the activities and movements of persons known to be engaged in the illicit drug traffic, I have the honour, under instructions from His Majesty's Acting Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to inform you that the Officer Administering the Government of the Straits Settlements has arranged that any such information affecting the Philippine Islands which is obtained in the Straits Settlements will be communicated to Mr. H. G. Anderson as |