agreed to the following understanding in respect to Article XVI of the Agreement signed this day between our respective Governments concerning the lease of Bases:

(1) Mails passing between United States Post Offices shall not be subject to censorship except by the United States.

(2) In connection with the establishment of any United States Post Offices in a Leased Area, the United States will arrange administratively, for such time as Great Britain may be at war, for the examination of all nonofficial incoming or outgoing mail destined for or originating in a Leased Area.

(3) The use of these Post Offices will be strictly limited to persons entitled under Article XVI to use them, and any mail deposited in such a Post Office which may be found by the United States examiners to be from a person not entitled to use it will, if required, be made available to the authorities of the Territory for examination.

(4) Should the United States be at war and Great Britain be neutral, the British Government will insure that a similar procedure is adopted, with respect to incoming or outgoing mail destined for or originating in the Territory in which a Leased Area is located, to safeguard the interests of the United States in the Leased Area.

(5) The United States and British authorities will collaborate to prevent their respective mails, in the Leased Areas or in the Territories in which they are located, being used prejudicially to the security of the other.

(6) There will be no examination of official mail of either Government by the other under any conditions.

2. If your Excellency's Government agrees to this understanding, I would suggest that the present Note and your reply to that effect be regarded as placing it on record.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

The Rt. Hon. WINSTON S. CHURCHILL, C.H., M.P., &c., &c.

&c.,

JOHN G. WINANT

The Prime Minister to the American Ambassador

FOREIGN OFFICE, LONDON, S.W. 1,

March 27, 1941

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's Note

of to-day's date concerning censorship, the terms of which are as follows:

[For text of U.S. note, see above.]

2. In reply, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland agree to this understanding, and, in accordance with your Excellency's suggestion, your Excellency's Note and this reply will be regarded as placing on record the understanding between the two Governments in this matter.

The undersigned plenipotentiaries of the Governments of Canada, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America having been authorized by their respective Governments to clarify certain matters concerning the defence of Newfoundland arising out of the Agreement signed this day concerning the Bases leased to the United States, have drawn up and signed the following Protocol:

1. It is recognised that the defence of Newfoundland is an integral feature of the Canadian scheme of defence, and as such is a matter of special concern to the Canadian Government, which has already assumed certain responsibilities for this defence.

2. It is agreed therefore that, in all powers which may be exercised and in such actions as may be taken under the Agreement for the use and operation of United States bases dated the 27th March, 1941, in respect of Newfoundand, Canadian interests in regard to defence will be fully respected.

3. Nothing in the Agreement shall affect arrangements relative to the defence of Newfoundland already made by the Governments of the United States and Canada in pursuance of recommendations submitted to those Governments by the Permanent Joint Board on Defence-United States and Canada.

4. It is further agreed that in all consultations concerning Newfoundland arising out of Articles I (4), II and XI (5) of the Agreement, or of any other Articles involving considerations of defence, the Canadian Government as well as the Government of Newfoundland will have the right to participate.

Done in triplicate, in London, the 27th day of March, 1941.

On behalf of the Government of Canada:

VINCENT MASSEY

L. W. MURRAY

L. B. PEARSON

On behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland:

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL
CRANBORNE
MOYNE

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America:

JOHN G. WINANT

CHARLES FAHY
HARRY J. MALONY
HAROLD BIESEMEIER

AIRBASE ON ASCENSION ISLAND

Exchange of telegram and letter at London January 27 and February 7,

1942

Entered into force February 7, 1942

Obsolete

1942 For. Rel. (I) 557

The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador1

WASHINGTON, January 26, 1942—10 p. m.

As you know, the United States Army Air Corps Ferrying Command is operating delivery service across the South Atlantic, both with its own personnel and through the medium of a contract with Pan American Airways. These activities are carried out under a directive from the President, dated November 19, last.

In view of the impending delivery to the Middle East of large quantities of short-range bombers, which cannot safely cross the South Atlantic in one hop, and the need for an alternative or secondary route across the South Atlantic from Brazil to West Africa, the Government of the United States feels that it is necessary to construct an intermediate airport on Ascension Island. It feels that the delivery service of all aircraft will be expedited and that of shorter range aircraft made possible over this alternative route, and it is therefore desired that the necessary permission from the British Government be obtained to build an airport and establish all the necessary operating facilities on what is known as the southwest plain of Ascension Island.

The United States proposes to construct a complete airdrome having a surfaced runway of approximately 6,000 feet by 1000 feet on Ascension Island. The United States will require, therefore, the necessary consent and cooperation of the British Government in the matter of importing machinery, personnel and equipment, the establishment of a water supply with the necessary tankage, gas storage and handling facilities, and the construction of the necessary buildings, power plants and other equipment. The United States will desire to load and unload this equipment at whatever point is most advantageous and to use the most convenient means of transport over any avail

1

The American Ambassador delivered a copy of the Secretary's telegram to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at London Jan. 27, 1942.

able route to or from Ascension Island. The United States will, of course, take the necessary steps to prevent damage to existing cable lines.

The proposed installations on Ascension Island are in the opinion of this Government necessary, even though the expense and construction problems will be considerable. The United States is prepared to undertake the necessary construction at once and to provide all of the funds necessary for that purpose. Since the facilities and installations will be of a permanent character, the Government of the United States feels that American commercial aircraft should have the right to utilize these facilities on Ascension Island in the post-war period on such terms as the American Government might prescribe. We are confident that the British Government will agree to this at once in view of our willingness to construct this airport at the expense of the United States Government. Details in connection with the use of this airport by commercial planes in the post-war period can be discussed between the two governments at their convenience and settled in an exchange of notes. Arrangements for the local defense of the airport during the present emergency will be made by the combined Chiefs of Staff (British-United States). Please take up this question with the British Government at the earliest possible moment and endeavor to obtain a favorable reply. You are authorized to take up the matter in the first instance with the Prime Minister if you consider it desirable.

HULL

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the American Ambassador FEBRUARY 7, 1942

On the 27th January, Your Excellency left with me a copy of a telegram from the State Department requesting that the permission of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom might be obtained to enable the United States Government to establish an air base in Ascension Island for the purpose of using this island as a staging point for the delivery of short range bombers across the South Atlantic Ocean. The hope was also expressed that His Majesty's Government would be prepared to cooperate with the United States Government in the matter of importing the machinery, personnel, equipment and other facilities for this purpose.

2. It was further suggested that American commercial aircraft should in the post-war period have the right to utilize the airport and that discussions should proceed between the United States and British Governments for the purpose of settling the details of this question. The State Department's telegram concluded by stating that it was proposed that arrangements for the local defence of the airport during the present emergency should be made by the Combined Chiefs of Staff.