COPY
     No: 7243
Dec. 25,       FROM: Mr. EDEN
1941
               TO: VISCOUNT HALIFAX
 
MOST IMMEDIATE
 
 
     Addressed to Washington telegram No. 7243 of
 
December 25th, repeated to Ottawa No. 2256.
 
     My telegram No. 7008.
 
     Admiralty received a telegram from AdmiralMuselier
 
dated December 24th in which he stated that "in compliance
 
with the order quite recently received from General de
 
Gaulle and the request of the inhabitants" he had proceeded
 
on the morning of December 24th to St. Pierre and rallied
 
the people to Free France and the Allied Cause with an
 
enthusiastic reception.
 
2.   This was a complete surprise to us since General
 
de Gaulle had authorized an assurance to be given to us on
 
December 17th that no orders for the operation had been
 
issued and that it would not be carried out by the Free
 
French Naval forces. You were informed accordingly in my
 
telegram under reference.
 
3.   Free French Copmissioner for Foreign Affairs was at
 
 
once summoned to the Foreign Office and asked for an 
explanation. He admitted General de Gaulle had in fact