to try their luck with the Islands, but that
 
 
(B)    they held up the operation while the United
 
States Government were being consulted, and that
 
    on receipt of' information about the President's
 
feeling they secured de Gaulle's agreement that the
 
operation should not now be undertaken; and that
 
finally
 
(D) Muselier has gone off on his own with or
 
without de Gaulle's knowledge and assent.
 
7.   An alternative plan to ensure control of the
 
wireless station at St. Pierre has been under discussion
 
between the Canadian and the United States Governments for
 
some weeks. On December 18th Mr. Welles said that he
 
hoped the Canadian Government vvouid give immediate effect  
 
to this plan, which involved the use/force if the
 
Administrator of the islands did not agree to Canadian
 
supervision of the station.
 
     Our Chiefs of staff in Lonion commented on this
 
as set out in paragraph 4 above.
 
8.   Since dictating the above I have just seen F.U.
 
 
telegram 7243 (Flag "A"), which tells the complete story,
 
and seems to place the blame very squarely on de Gaulle,
 
who I see has issued a congratulatory telegram in London