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Les Délégués du Conseil fédéral pour les Questions économiques et industrielles, H. Heer et H. Grobet-Roussy, à l’Attaché commercial de l’Ambassade de Grande-Bretagne à Paris, H. Waterloo1

Our delegation has received a letter from Berne to-day2 informing us of a conversation which has taken place on the 8th March between Mr. Craigie of your Legation at Berne and Mr. le Conseiller fédéral Schulthess. Mr. Craigie informed Mr. Schulthess of what you had told us already regarding the coal from Belgium, viz: that the British Government could not allow Belgium to import English coal and export similar coal to Switzerland at a price which would leave a benefit to Belgium over the price paid to England. Mr. Craigie added that the British Government was ready to undertake the supply of coal to Switzerland directly and our delegation is instructed not only to inform you of the above conversation, but also to ask you whether:

a) négociations about our coal supply from England are to take place here in Paris, or at Berne, or through our Legation in London,

b) if the British Government will undertake to supply a quantity of 100.000 tons per month, Belgium having declared its readiness to sell Switzerland 60.000 tons and 40.000 tons having been already asked [for by Switzerland from England.

The Swiss Government states in its letter to our delegation that the négociations with Belgium were started before our report concerning the English supply to Belgium reached Berne.