War Trade Board Files: Japanese
Tonnage Negotiations, Vol. II
The Representative of the British Ministry of
Shipping (
Fisher
) to
the Chairman of the War Trade Board (
McCormick
)
No. S–173
Washington
,
August 13, 1918
.
Dear Mr. McCormick
: You will remember that on May 11
last I wrote to you officially in the sense that London desired to
be free to charter Japanese vessels now that your negotiations with
Japan are completed.
You replied on May 28th that you felt it better that the United
States Government should continue to be the sole bidders for
Japanese ships and this reply was communicated to London. It now
appears that Japanese vessels have been offered for liner business
to British ports and London feels that there is nothing to be gained
by refusing permission to British firms to charter such vessels.
I spoke with Mr. Munson about
this and he advised I should write officially to Mr. Hurley acquainting him with
London’s views.
I take pleasure in enclosing a copy of my letter to Mr. Hurley for your information.
At our various conversations on this subject Mr. Munson gave me to understand that
it was under consideration whether some of the Japanese vessels
obtained by the United States Government as a result of their
concessions to Japan should not be allocated to the other Associated
Governments in the same manner that Great Britain allocates to
France and Italy a share of such Norwegian vessels as she is able to
control by reason of the special concessions made to Norway in the
matter of British coal.
Nothing appears to have come of this proposal and it would seem that
all the Japanese vessels secured by the United States Government are
operating under their own exclusive control.
Yours sincerely,
[Page 659]
[Enclosure]
The Representative of the British Ministry of
Shipping (
Fisher
) to the Chairman of the Shipping Board (
Hurley
)
No. S–173
Washington
,
August 13,
1918
.
Dear Sir: You will recollect that in
the summer of 1917 the United States Government through the
State Department addressed a request to the British Government
that pending the completion of certain negotiations between the
United States and Japan the British Ministry of Shipping should
refrain from any attempt to charter Japanese vessels for British
service.
In May 1918 when the negotiations between the United States and
Japan had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion the British
Ministry of Shipping informed me that they presumed there was no
longer any reason why they should abstain from chartering
Japanese ships should the opportunity offer.
As it was my understanding that the negotiations were being
conducted by the United States War Trade Board I communicated
this information to the chairman of that board and also to Mr.
Munson. Mr. McCormick replied that he felt
the United States was in a better position to charter Japanese
ships on advantageous terms than any of the other Allies and
that he felt competitive bidding would be disadvantageous.
In accordance with Mr. McCormick’s request I conveyed his views to
London and have now received a reply to the effect that in
present circumstances the Ministry of Shipping are unable to see
what advantage is gained by continuing to refrain from
chartering such ships as may be offered for employment by their
owners.
It appears that Japanese vessels are entirely free to engage in
the Pacific and other Eastern trades and my Government feel that
to prevent British firms from taking such vessels on charter is
detrimental to British interests whilst it in no way assists to
procure more Japanese ships for general Allied service.
It would seem that the number of Japanese vessels engaged in
trade in the Pacific and Far East is in excess of the minimum
necessary to maintain these trades and the Controller feels that
if it is possible to charter such vessels to take the place of
British ships withdrawn for the carriage of United States troops
or other war services, the opportunity should not be missed. I
am accordingly directed to advise you that the Ministry of
Shipping feel obliged to hold themselves free to charter such
Japanese ships as may be available.
Yours very truly,
[No signature indicated]
