Summary of passage in the GoTernor of Trinidad's
despatch to the Secretary of State for the
Colonies, dated October 22nd.
I have considered the whole question in
Kxecutive Council ana am advised that the acceptance of
the present proposals would undoubtedly cause groat dis-
satisfaction among those elements of the conrnunity who
would be deprived of existing amenities and might well, in
view of this and of the siting of the proposed locations,
lead to serious difficulties during the period of the
lease.     I hope to communicate to Your Lordship within
a few days a detailed descrii>tion of the scheme advocated
by my advisers and also a deccription of the amenities
at present enjoyed by residents in and visitors to the
north-west peninsula, but I feel that it is not necessary
to await this before expressing my general opinion upon
the proposals put forward by the United States Mission.
My naval, military and air advisers, while
recognising that the area selected for the main fleet
base is the obvious and attractive onf, are of the opinion
that, if Ur« Grinnell and Mr. Boerd are right and the
United States Government are prepared to undertake the
expenditure involved, an equally if not more satisfactory
naval and sea-plane baee, combined with an adequate and
suitable area for land forces and aerodromes could be
constructed south of the Caronl River.     They point
out that the north-west peninsula is open to direct
bombardment from the sea without seaplane spotting; that
that Caroni site would be to some extent defended by the
guns/
n
-2-
guns which are at present being mounted; that it would
l)e a distinct advantage for the United States sea and
land air oases to be in the same area; that the Caroni
site would obviate the noccsisity of constructing a
long and costly road to Sangre Grande and of widening
and improving the road from Port-of-3pain to the north-
west peninsula or diverting that to Macqueripe Bay; that
supply and gun wharves on the Ceroni site would be en-
tirely under the control of the United States authori-
ties, which would be better from their own point of view
as well as that of this Government; and that two aero-
dromes five miles apart could be constructed on the
Caroni site, thus obviating the necessity of an isolated
aerodrorie under United States control east of Longden-
ville.
From the administrative and political point of
view the advantages of the Caroni site are that there
would be only one leaded area; that it would be un-
necessary to provide facilities in rort-of-Spain itself;
that there would be no interference with the quarantine
islands; that road access to the bauxite wharves would
be undisturbed; chat there would be no interference with
the amenities at present enjoyed by residents in and
visitors to the north-west peninsula; that the Aripo
Valley water supply, the development of which is required
for civil needs, would be left available since the
Caroni site could be supplied from any of the three
valleys which lead down to it from the north; that
road communications eastwards from Ariraa would remain
undisturbed; that there would be practically no
necessity for the United States Government to acquire
any /
any land or property; that the difficulties arising
from public roads running through a leased area would
¦be obviated; and that the development of the Caroni
scheme would be accelerated.       The advantage of the
adoption of the Caroni scheme would be that the
association between the two Governments in Trinidad
would start upon a basis of mutual benefit and goodwill,
whereas the adoption of the proposals put forward by
Admiral Oreenslnde's mission would,   I fear, involve
the risk of misunderstandings between the two Govern-
ments, which might in the end lead to unfortunate
resulus*