File No. 652.119/1886
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain ( Willard )
1681. For Chadbourne [from War Trade Board]:1
No. 313. Referring Embassy’s 1886, October 3, 7 p.m., your 303,2 and Department’s 1610, September 27, 5 p.m., our 282,2 and previous cables2 concerning the purchase of mules by A[merican] E[xpeditionary] F[orces]. The War Department has agreed to make available out of its stocks, 20,000 tons of sulphate of ammonia for the purpose of securing release of 50,000 mules. You are authorized to assure the Spanish authorities that the United States will permit the exportation to Spain of 20,000 tons of sulphate of ammonia at the rate of 3,000 tons a month beginning in October, if the Spanish Government will permit the immediate release for the A.E.F. of 50,000 mules.
If this arrangement is made, it is our intention that the licenses for the sulphate of ammonia shall be allocated in accordance with a plan approved by our representative in Spain.
We are repeating this cablegram to Paris in our No. 385 to McFadden.