File No. 600.119/1603
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin )
2746. For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]:
No. 1591. Embassy’s 3318, November 1, 8 p.m., your 1786, supplementing Embassy’s 3078, your 1741, October 25 noon.1 We will permit the 40 motor schooners which have been, and are being, constructed on the Pacific Coast by the French Government to proceed to France if they sail in convoys and will arrange for the prompt departure in convoys for France from the Panama Canal of the motor schooners Amiens, Democratique, Général Bafratier, and Serret.
[Page 1010]We refer you, in connection with the general matter of sailing vessels, to the cable from Sims to the Navy, his No. 8094, October 28.1 We note from your 1786 and the cable from Sims that matters affecting the safety of ships at sea are not handled by the A[llied] M[aritime] T[ransport] C[ouncil]. We assume from your 1786 and the cablegram from Sims that there is no Allied body to which matters of this kind should be referred. In consequence, unless we hear from you to the contrary, we will adopt in this connection rules and regulations after consultation with our own Admiralty. Meantime, we will continue to operate with reference to sailing vessels in accordance with the regulations set forth in Department’s 1648, September 27, 3 p.m., our 1282; Department’s 1727, October 1, 7 p.m., our 1328; and in the first part of this cablegram. We will continue also to operate with reference to sailing vessels in accordance with the regulations set forth in Department’s 2340, October 22, 2 p.m., our 1438, with this exception, to wit: that we will permit shipments of petroleum, by-products of petroleum, and foodstuffs, aboard Swedish sailers under the conditions specified in Department’s 1727, October 1, 7 p.m., our 1328.
Referring to your 1786, please cable wherein our 1438 is lacking in clarity.