File No. 763.72112/1697

The British Ambassador ( Spring Rice ) to the Secretary of State

My Dear Mr. Secretary: In your letter to me of August 251 you were good enough to inform me that contraband articles were excluded from the parcel-post mails from this country for Germany and Austria-Hungary.

I am informed on good authority that a shipment of some six tons of tungsten ore is being sent from New York to Germany by parcels post in canvas bags weighing not more than 101/2 pounds gross each The names of the addressees in Germany have not been ascertained but the dispatch of the goods is being attended to by the Snow United States Express Company of 17 Battery Place. It seems that the instructions in connection with the shipment have been issued to Messrs. Snow by the S. K. T. Ball Bearing Company of New York City.

Tungsten ore is covered in the British contraband list by the designations wolfram and scheelite.

The above information is accordingly brought to your knowledge for consideration and for such investigation as your Government may think proper to make.

Believe me [etc.]

Cecil Spring Rice
  1. Not printed.