File No. 300.115/12790
The Chargé in the Netherlands ( Langhorne) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.10 p.m.]
1019. Legation’s 979, June 11. A memorandum from the American Ambassador, London dated May 25, encloses note, same date, from British Foreign Office which in effect states that goods stored in Rotterdam for export at the end of war and goods, in connection with whose application for shipment fraud has been discovered, will not be granted shipping permit.
Goods whose licenses lapsed owing to delay in shipping are now being forwarded. The Foreign Office apparently overlooked about 15,000 tons of Belgian, German, and Austrian origin which have [Page 514] been sold to American order and desire immediate shipment. Large amounts of these shipments are, from time to time, being called back by enemy shippers owing to poor prospects of effecting shipment. It would seem, therefore, to serve the American owners if these goods could be shipped and at the same time would prevent large portions of them from being returned to the enemy.
Among the goods desiring immediate shipment are …