845C.7793/25
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
Mr. Hall19 having called on me yesterday regarding a common British and American concern regarding the Far Eastern situation, I took occasion, when the business of the moment had been disposed of (see memorandum of July 1620) to mention Burma railway. I said that there had come to us rumors to the effect that activities at the Burma end toward construction of this railway seemed to be slow in getting under way. I said that I make no assumptions as regards the facts but if this is true I am sure that the British Embassy will agree with me that it is unfortunate: it would perhaps be easily understandable—for the Burma authorities doubtless have many preoccupations. However, I said, that railway is an enterprise with regard to which the [Page 677] British Government approached us soliciting our interest and help; some of us here regard the enterprise as highly important from point of view of strategic potentialities; some officials of this Government have studied the matter carefully and have put a good deal of effort into development here of a supporting interest; the rails which are lying at Rangoon came from the United States and belong to China; we have made arrangements to do most of the financing and to furnish most of the additional supplies which will be needed; the Chinese are hard at work on the engineering, grading, tunneling, et cetera for their end of the line—and they estimate that it is physically possible to have the railway completed within less than two years; but, the Burma end of the line is going to be the bottleneck, for rails and supplies for the China end should pass over the Burma end; that, therefore, it is highly desirable that action at and on the Burma end be speeded up. Mr. Hall indicated that he agreed with all of this. He said that if the reports are true, it would be desirable for British authorities to give the Burma authorities a push; and that he would look into the matter and would suggest that whatever may be needed, if anything, by way of a push be given.
I said, in conclusion, that it would perhaps be helpful if all along the line of British officialdom the impression be made a conscious reality that, although this is a British and Chinese enterprise, the United States now has a substantial interest in it as a part of the Lease-Lend program and we will not fail to observe with rightful concern what the British and Chinese do or fail to do toward early consummation of the enterprise.
- Noel Hall, British Minister in the United States.↩
- Vol. iv, p. 828.↩