237 Eggleston to Department of External Affairs

Your No. 1236 paras- 3, 4 and 5. [1]

1. In view of current discussion and speculation here on the future status of Manus as reported in my telegrams Nos- 721, 726 and 750 [2], it would seem desirable that the Commonwealth Government's views should be kept clearly before the United States Government lest pressures on the United States Administration and Congress coupled with the continued retention of the Admiralty islands within United States Military jurisdiction should set in motion a trend towards permanent and exclusive United States control of Manus which might be difficult to arrest if so desired at a later stage. I am still not clear from your telegram 1236 how much importance the Commonwealth attaches to the future status of Manus but you may feel that I should reinforce any approach to the United States authorities which the United Kingdom Government may make in accordance with your request.

2. As you will have seen by the news today, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy [3] has publicly sponsored an extensive claim for bases including Manus.