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Volume 5 1936~1939

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No. 101 NAI DT S10336

Handwritten letter from Joseph P. Walsheto Maurice Moynihan (Dublin) enclosing a memorandum on the coal-cattle pact negotiations

Dublin, 10 November 1937

Dear Maurice,
Here is the note on what happened at the Coal-Cattle Pact negotiations.

I hope it may be of some use.

Yours sincerely,
[signed] J.P. Walshe

[Enclosure]
Negotiations for Coal-Cattle Pact

First Pact

Tentative discussions started between the High Commissioner and Mr. Thomas in October 1934.

Negotiations for a Trade Agreement were proceeding at the same time in Berlin.

Instructions were issued to the High Commissioner on the 7th December1 to agree in principle to a Coal-Cattle Arrangement on a £ for £ basis.

On the 14th December Mr. Twomey went to London to discuss with Mr. Street of the British Ministry of Agriculture2 the proportions of the different categories of cattle to be exported by us.

The first Coal-Cattle Pact was announced on the 3rd January 1935.


Second Pact

The High Commissioner received an Aide-Mémoire approved by the Executive Council in December 19353.

On the 30th December a Coal Order was made here prior to the completion of the detailed Arrangement with Great Britain.

On the 22nd January Mr. Leydon and Mr. Twomey went to London to discuss with officers of the Board of Trade and the Department of Agriculture those matters of the Arrangement relating to their respective Departments.

It was emphasised by Mr. Dulanty that there was no British delegation as such, and he advised that Mr. McElligott should not go with the other two officials.

Instructions were issued by the President on the 3rd February for the High Commissioner and the two officers assisting him.

The Second Pact was announced on the 17th February 1936.


Third Agreement

On the 7th December 1936 Mr. Dulanty was instructed to outline to the British the general character of our needs for the coming year4.

On the 22nd December the High Commissioner received from Overton of the Board of Trade5 a proposal that the existing Arrangement should continue, and that discussions should take place for detailed adjustments within the general framework.

On the 3rd February 1937 the British replied to the High Commissioner's suggestions, and on the 25th February the announcement of the completed Arrangement was made in the Dáil. No official from this side accompanied the High Commissioner on this occasion.

[initialled] J.P.W.


1 See DIFP Volume IV, No. 246.

2 Arthur William Street (1892-1951), civil servant, Principal Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, London (1936-8).

3 See DIFP Volume IV, No. 309.

4 See DIFP Volume IV, Nos 391, 393, 407, 415.

5 Sir Arnold Edersheim Overton (1893-1975) Assistant Secretary of the Board of Trade and later Permanent Secretary of the Board of Trade (1941-5), Minister in Charge of the Middle East Office, Cairo (1945-7), Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (1953-63).

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