Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to John W. Dulanty (London)
(Secret)

Dear High Commissioner,

You should, immediately on receipt of this instruction, make representations to Lord Caldecote textually as follows:-

'Certain persons have of late made rather frequent visits to Ireland. These visits did not seem to be connected with any normal business transaction which might explain their frequency. On the other hand, well founded rumours have reached the Government that these persons have been talking to Deputies and other Irish citizens in a manner likely to be detrimental to the interests and general well-being of the Irish State. The visits have given the definite impression that there was interference in the internal affairs of our country. The fact that these persons had been invariably in London immediately before the visits to Dublin has given rise to the suspicion that they were acting with, or on behalf of, some British political group.

The Irish Government would be very glad to obtain the help of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs in putting an end to further visits of this character, whoever the persons concerned may be. The Government were particularly perturbed that the visits of the persons whose activities have been noted coincided with a campaign in the Press of Great Britain and in a section of the American Press directed against the policy of the Irish Government, which is based on the fundamental and universal desire of the Irish people. The Minister for External Affairs would be very grateful to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs for his aid in eliminating, as far as his resources enable him to do so, activities which cannot but end in a serious breach of the real friendship and goodwill which exists between our two peoples. The Secretary of State will realise as strongly as the Irish Government how quickly the excellent work of the British Representative in Ireland could be brought to nought by well-meaning busybodies who are ignorant both of the history of Ireland and of the abiding determination of its people to work out their own destiny.'