CO129-628-12 War Damage Compensation- USSR claims 1-1-1950 - 31-5-1950 — Page 25

COPY FOR R. E. RADFORD ESQ. COLONIAL OFFICE CHURCH HOUSE, S.W.1.

RI(c) 1189

23

1st March, 1950.

(2)

Dear Davidson,

Thank you for your letter of the 11th February (NS 1391/4) about a claim on the War Risks Insurance Office in respect of the Soviet vessels "SIMFEROPOL" and "SVIRSTROI”.

I note that you have seen a copy of the letter of the 28th September, 1948, from Constant and Constant, the Solicitors concerned in this case, and I enclose for your records copies of earlier and subsequent correspondence with them. I now learn, unofficially, that they are no longer acting in this matter.

I suggest that the reply to the Soviet Embassy might be on the lines that the terms of the Ambassador's note have been brought to the attention or the Government War Risks Office but that that Office, for the reasons specified in your Note of the 24th (?) August 1948, still finds itself unable to authorise payment of the claims as it is not satisfied, on the evidence adduced, that there is a liability attaching under the terms of the insurance granted and that, in the absence of the evidence requested, it is unable to alter its views.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Radford.

Yours sincerely,

W. A. MITCHELL

A. E. Davidson, Esq.,

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.