810.24/1–1746: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:02 p.m.]
68. Mytel 1586, December 22.13 I called on British Ambassador last night to inquire whether he had yet received any instructions from his Govt re Vickers Armstrong armament matter and recalled that on December 21 he had informed me that he had at that time not received any instructions. Leche replied he had received no instructions [Page 563] whatsoever in matter. He added he had no information as to nature of what Levenson was interested in selling but Vickers has, of course, sold arms and great many other articles. On absence of instructions from London he as British Ambassador would put Levenson (penultimate paragraph my 66, January 16) in touch with appropriate people should he so desire. Leche felt that obviously policy of British armament sales to South America had to be decided on by his superiors and could not be determined by him without instructions from London.
When Leche volunteered opinion that Great Britain had every right to compete with United States in Chilean market, I pointed out that question was of special interest to us since there had devolved upon American nations through inter-American commitments the obligation to take necessary measures for effective protection of Hemisphere. He said he appreciated this point.
In any event steps taken by Dept with Lord Halifax14 (Deptel 934, December 1015) and our Embassy in London with British FonOff (London’s December 10 to London15) have borne no fruit.