File No. 862.85/367
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Stimson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3.17 p.m.]
Your March 25, 8 [5] p.m., and my March 28, 10 a.m.1 In the same conversation as that referred to in the last-mentioned cable the Minister for Foreign Affairs took up the subject of the proposed transfer to Argentine registry of the Bahia Blanca, and the possible purchase of other interned German vessels. The Minister replied, when he was informed by me of the Department’s desire to receive assurances concerning the route to be [followed] by the Bahia Blanca [Page 1748] and the nationality of its crew, passengers, and captain, that he hoped the Government of the United States would [adopt] the same attitude in regard to vessels which might now pass into the possession of the Argentine Government, as that which the Argentine Government had decided to adopt in regard to the Dutch vessels now taken over by the United States. He said further that the Bahia Blanca, if acquired, would be run over the same trade routes as those now used by the Pampa and other Argentine national transports, and that in any event the vessel would travel only to Entente countries or to neutral nations; that the captain would be Argentine, and that the ship would be manned by the Argentine Navy. But he laid emphasis on his hope that the American Government would recognize the absolute ownership of the Argentine Government in the interned German vessels which it might purchase, and not insist on a written guarantee as to the above-mentioned points.
Public announcement was made last night of the completion of the negotiations for the purchase of the vessel.