exact limit of a 12 mile belt is much less easy to determine than that of a 3 mile belt, so that disputes as to whether a vessel was inside or outside the belt would be more numerous with the wider limit.
There have been attempts in the past to resolve internationally the divergencies of territorial waters claims, but without conclusiveness. At the moment, H.M.G. 's attitude generally is simply to refuse to recognise the existence of a jurisdiction beyond 3 miles. We do not, however, propose for the moment to take any action on the claim you have brought to our notice. Perhaps you will let us know how it works out in practice.
Yours sincerely,
(sgd.) G.J. WARDALE
Page 50Page 51