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  4. Document 550

File No. 195/171

The Italian Ambassador ( Macchidi Cellere ) to the Counselor for the Department of State ( Polk )

No. 365/C–1
Washington , January 14, 1918 .
[Received January 16.]

My Dear Mr. Polk : I wish to acknowledge receipt of your favor of January 10th informing me that at present the War Trade Board is negotiating with agents of private Japanese ship owners and ship builders with a view of securing Japanese tonnage for Allied war uses, and pending these negotiations you desire that other nations shall not negotiate for Japanese tonnage.1

I wish to inform you that I have cabled to my Government to this effect and as soon as I will receive their reply I will not fail to communicate with you again.2

Sincerely yours,

Macchi di Cellere
  1. Letter of Jan. 10 not found.↩
  2. See also telegram No. 7679, May 10, to the Ambassador in Great Britain, post, p. 647, and letter of July 11 from the Italian Ambassador, post, p. 656.↩