Savingram unnumbered LISBON, [19 July 1939 [1]]

Received 1 August 1939

Your telegram of 18th July. [2] I interviewed Secretary-General
[3] at Ministry for Foreign Affairs today and explained that the
Minister for the Colonies [4] before leaving for Africa with the
President of the Republic [5] had assured His Majesty's Ambassador
[6] that he had authorized his substitute at the Ministry of
Colonies to dispose of Oil Search application for concession in
Timor; I understand that the Departmental experts concerned were
in favour of the application being granted and I would therefore
be grateful if the desire of the Australian Government to see this
matter concluded could be represented to the Ministry of Colonies.

Monsieur Sanpaio [sic] said that he would see what he could do; he
also alluded to the fact that no steps had ever been taken to
develop the Staughton concessions. I assured him that in this case
there were no grounds for thinking that if the concession were
granted it would not be promptly exploited.