File No. 657.119/145a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page )
5916. Forward following message to McCormick:
Our 14. We have delivered to-day, after conference with Percy and Grimprel,2 following letter to Nansen:
While your proposal of November 16 is acceptable to us in principle, we are not in full accord with you upon all of its details and we therefore desire to make the following proposal which, if accepted, will permit us to accomplish the object of these negotiations, that is, to supply your country with its reasonable requirements, so far as permitted by our own needs, and in case those requirements go beyond our own resources, we shall expect to render every assistance possible to Norway in supplying her needs elsewhere. We accept your proposal regarding Norway’s fish export not to exceed 48,000 tons per annum and no export of fish oil to Central powers conditioned that said tonnage be measured in terms of fresh fish and the exports shall be in the same proportions fish and fish products as prevailed to Central powers during the past year. In consideration that the United States shall supply copper sufficient to satisfy the reasonable domestic needs of Norway it should be agreed by Norway to suspend exportation except to Allies, or approved neutral destination, of cuprous pyrites and ferrous pyrites, and copper, excepting such amount of crude or refined copper as may be necessary in equivalent exchange for manufactured copper received by Norway, plus 5 per cent to cover wastage. Since we are to grant export licenses for kerosene we propose that you sell us all of your exportable calcium carbide. Norway not to permit the export to the Central powers of any ferro-silicon or molybdenum in any form. Since we are to grant export licenses for fertilizers we propose that you sell to us’ all your exportable calcium nitrate. Norway will continue her exports to the Allies in so far as they may require the same. All of the foregoing on the understanding [Page 1074] that Norway will not export or reexport except as hereinbefore provided any articles to any country in such a manner as to benefit our enemies; this to be guarded by proper restriction clauses in our final agreements. If you can see your way to meeting these suggestions, the War Trade Board will in so far as their own and their Allies’ needs permit, license your needs to be fairly ascertained as soon as you furnish us with a complete estimate of your requirements.
War Trade Board
Repeat message in full to Christiania, In message to Christiania add the following:
You will communicate at once with your British, French and Italian colleagues and tell them that the above proposal has received the approval here of the representatives of the British and French who joined in the negotiations. The Ministers of these countries will receive instructions from their Governments to state to the Norwegian Government that the offer is satisfactory to them and has their approval. After seeing your colleagues present informally the agreement at Foreign Office, and state that it is your understanding that this agreement was to be cabled by Nansen. For your confidential information these terms are in the main the best that can be secured by Norway and you should urge on that Government the advisability of accepting the same.
Also repeat to Christiania for his information our November 17, 5842,1 and inform McCormick that above message has been cabled to Christiania.