File No. 300.115/9735
The Chargé in Great Britain (Laughlin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1.55 p. m.]
4845. Your 3709, August 19 [18]. Foreign Office replies that under the circumstances mentioned British Government will be ready to give an undertaking regarding the shipment to the United States of the balance of novocaine which it has hitherto proved impossible to dispatch from Holland, this balance amounting to a third of value of 180,442 marks, and British Consul General at Rotterdam is being authorized to issue permits for the shipment of German novocaine of that total value to the United States.
Adds that perhaps it is not necessary to point out that the delay in shipment of this urgently needed drug to the United States has been entirely due to the action of the German Government, and further, that the assurance given to British Government last January that after six months sufficient quantities of this drug would be obtainable from sources in neutral countries or the United States apparently has not been justified by events. British Government can not, however, hold out hope that further requests for this or similar substances six months hence will be considered and upon this understanding the permit for the novocaine must be held now to be authorized.