War Trade Board Files: American-Norwegian Agreement, Vol. II
The Norwegian Minister on Special Mission ( Nansen) to the Counselor of the War Trade Board ( Chadbourne)
Dear Mr. Chadbourne: Confirming my conversation with you and Mr. White this afternoon I hereby inform you that I have received the following communication from my Government:
[Page 1130]The Norwegian Government will modify their proposal of February 2 thus far that it should be allowed to export yearly to the Central Powers (not considering 48,000 tons of fish and fish products) 10,000 tons of calcium carbide, 8,000 tons of calcium nitrate, 2,000 tons of ferrosilicon, 40,000 tons of iron ore, 1,000 tons of zinc, 40 tons of aluminium, no domestic animals or products thereof, no old metals, no nitrogen compounds other than specified above, no molybdenum, no pyrites. Of other articles not mentioned above there should not be exported others than those exported during the year 1917 and in corresponding quantities. A statistical list of this export is now being cabled to me.
My Government presuppose that the American proposal is to be understood thus that besides the above-mentioned limited quantities to be exported of iron ore and zinc it may also be allowed to export the necessary quantities of these articles as compensation for iron and steel goods and raw zinc received from the Central Powers.
My Government do not consider it correct to use the statistics of the export of the first five months of 1917 as a basis for our agreement, but think the export of the whole year 1917 ought to be used for this purpose.
My Government are aware that by conceding to such a considerable reduction of our export to the Central Powers Norway’s relations to them will be made very difficult and my Government therefore sincerely regret that they cannot see their way to accept any further reduction or limitation of the export to the Central Powers than is here offered. According to investigations they have made, both the Norwegian Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister would consider this too dangerous for Norway.
The quantities of 10,000 tons of calcium carbide and 2,000 tons of ferrosilicon were suggested by the French Minister in Christiania. I confidently hope that the War Trade Board can see their way to accept these figures and that we will thus be able to reach an agreement.
I sincerely hope that you and Mr. White will use your influence to have this matter settled, and make me happy by a favorable answer at your earliest convenience.
Believe me, dear Mr. Chadbourne,
Very sincerely yours,
P. S. I have not yet received the cable with the statistics of our export to the Central Powers in 1917 but shall of course let you have it at once when it arrives.1 I do not believe that that will cause any difficulties for our agreement.