Please arrange for delivery of the following telegram from the Prime Minister of Canada to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Message begins:

1. The present Brazilian Ambassador who is Dean of the Diplomatic Corps will be leaving Ottawa shortly. Next in order of precedence are the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, the High Commissioner for Australia, the Ambassador of Chile and the Ambassador of China.

2. As you are doubtless aware, at the meeting of Prime Ministers in 1948 approval was given to a report of the Committee appointed to consider the status of High Commissioners. This report stated that "it was agreed that there was no good reason why a High Commissioner should not become the doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, but that it was unnecessary to press the point" and then concluded that "there is no objection, on the assumption that this is not pressed, to the diplomatic doyen of the Diplomatic Corps continuing to take precedence over other Ambassa­dors or High Commissioners". Application of this conclusion to the situation in Ottawa would result in the Deanship devolving upon the Chilean Ambassador and, when he leaves, upon the Chinese Ambassador. This latter eventuality would create considerable embarrassment not only for the Canadian Government but also for representatives in Ottawa of those Governments which have ceased to recognize the Nationalist regime which he represents.

3. We feel that the close relations between the nations of the Commonwealth should not be an obstacle to the acceptance by the representative of the United Kingdom of a precedence and an honour which would be readily accorded to the representative of a nation with which our relations are much less intimate.

4. I would hope that the United Kingdom Government would have no objection to the Deanship going normally according to seniority to the United Kingdom High Commissioner, a course which would give us pleasure and might spare us possible embarrassment; if you concur I shall notify other Commonwealth Governments that we propose with your concurrence to recognize the United Kingdom High Commissioner as the successor of the present Dean.

5. I need scarcely add that Sir Alexander Clutterbuck possesses qualities which would make him a most distinguished Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ottawa. Message ends.