File No. 656.119/863

The Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin ) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

3551. War Trade Board [from Sheldon]:

No. 1828. Dutch delegates very much desire that following imports for Holland be facilitated immediately in accordance with following arrangements. In anticipation of conclusion of agreement British approved and it is proposed that the arrangements be carried out. If you approve please let me hear from you regarding your approval as soon as possible.

Steamships Tabanan with passengers and colonial products, Noordam with passengers and copra or oil, and Bengkalis with copra or oil to sail from Dutch East Indies to Gibraltar bunkering at Durban and Gibraltar. Ships are not to be armed or under convoy. Manifests and lists of crews, passengers and consignees are to be telegraphed to London for approval. Entire cargo of the three ships is to be consigned to N[etherlands] O[versea] T[rust] and is to count as a part of the ration under the general agreement. Maximum amount of oil is not to exceed 15,000 tons. Ships will be subject to [Page 1559] examination at Gibraltar and will not be entitled to proceed further prior to the conclusion of the general agreement. These are the three ships referred to in the last paragraph of Embassy’s 3199, October 29, our 1755. Dutch ask also to be permitted to import immediately the following articles to be charged against the ration under the general agreement from the United States: 50,000 tons wheat, 6,000 tons kerosene, 1,000 tons benzine for doctors’ motor cars, 1,000 tons lubricants, including cylinder oil, 2,000 tons gas oil and 4,000 tons cotton from Dutch West Indies, 2,000 tons cocoa beans from Argentine, 1,000 tons wool. It is proposed that steamships Djebres, Sirrah, Jason, Cornelis, and Amsteldyk be used to lift above commodities and that they proceed to Falmouth to await conclusion of agreement. Equivalent tonnage to leave Holland simultaneously in replacement. Dutch ask also to be permitted to import from England 1,700 tons soda ash, caustic soda and soap; 2,000 tons pyrites, steamship Yssel now at Vigo; 3,000 tons tanning materials and also woollen and cotton yarns and goods, amount to be determined later.

In view of the fact that the Dutch have obtained permission from the Germans to send out exchange tonnage, that these commodities are urgently needed in Holland, and as adequate safeguards exist provided the replacing ships are under no other obligations than now exist in regard to the above-mentioned vessels, I approve of these proposals. They start tonnage moving to carry food to destinations in the vicinity of which exists destitution,

Laughlin