File No. 300.115/10718
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8.05 p. m.]
5171. Your 4045 of November 14.1 Foreign Office replies to my representations based on Department’s instructions 3996, November [Page 541] 1, 5 p. m., and 4009, November 2, in note which will be forwarded by next pouch.1 Its substance follows:
Even if general assurances regarding further shipments of beet seed under the protocol given Stabler by Cadogan, which Foreign Office cannot accept on evidence at hand, such assurances would have no proper authority. The arrangement resulting from Stabler’s conversation is clear as set forth in Foreign Office’s note of February 10 transmitted to Department with despatch 3040, February 11.2 It asserted that arrangement was not accepted as correct and if further undertaking was desired it should have been pointed out at the time. The Foreign Office has no record of any undertaking regarding future shipments and it seems clear that the whole arrangement for canceling numerous outstanding and unused permits and authorizing by wire the shipment of lots already in Rotterdam was made to enable the quantities ready for shipment to reach America in time for the last sowing season and to avoid delays by the possible efforts to identify such lots with any existing permits. No undertaking, however, was given regarding supplies for the coming sowing season.
Answering contention that Wisconsin Sugar Company shipment on Nieuw Amsterdam, referred to your telegram 4009, November 2, could only have taken place under assurance as Stabler understood it, Foreign Office transmits duplicate permit issued by British Consul General at Rotterdam consigning the 1,146 bags in question to Secretary of Agriculture on account of A. Bencoe of New York, such shipment being specified in Department’s telegram 2779 of January 253 replied to by Foreign Office note of February 10. This permit was therefore issued under special application of Department and not under any general arrangement.
Foreign Office concludes by stating that question of authorizing further permits for beet seed destined for the United States Government for which I have applied is still being considered by the Allied Governments.