File No. 861.00/1461
The First Secretary of the British Embassy
(Robertson) to the Counselor
for the Department of State (Polk)
Washington, March 14,
1918.
Dear Mr. Polk: The Ambassador has asked me to send
to you the enclosed paraphrase of the telegram which he read to you
this afternoon.
Yours [etc.]
[Page 471]
[Enclosure—Telegram—Paraphrase]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Balfour) to the Ambassador at Washington (Reading)
It appears most probable that the Germans will, as a result of
the peace concluded with Russia, demand the evacuation of
Murmansk by the Allies and that they may make an attempt
themselves to occupy the port (1) as a submarine base; (2) with
a view to furthering their designs on Spitzbergen; (3) for the
purpose of cutting off Allied trade with Russia after the war.
They will probably also be anxious to seize or destroy the large
number of Russian vessels now at Archangel and Murmansk.
It appears essential for the above reasons that the position of
the Allies at Murmansk should be a strong one, and it is
considered desirable that their fleet there should be as
representative as possible. Arrangements have been made by the
French Government to send a man-of-war immediately and you
should again urge upon the United States Government that it is
desirable that they should follow the French example.
