711.00111 Armament Control/Military Secrets/1825
The Secretary of State to Gibbs and Cox, Inc., New York, N. Y.
Sirs: I refer to my letter of April 15, 1939,85 and previous correspondence, in regard to the designs for torpedo boat destroyers which you have prepared with a view to the possibility of the construction of destroyers in this country for the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and have to inform you that I am now in receipt of a letter of May 17, from the Acting Secretary of the Navy,85 in regard to the plans referred to.86 The Acting Secretary of the Navy states that the Navy Department, on the grounds of military secrecy in its relation to the national defense, objects to the release to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of the plans and accompanying memorandum submitted to the State Department by you, and to the release to that country of a torpedo boat destroyer design based on those plans and memorandum for the following reasons:
- (1)
- While the descriptive memorandum states that the boilers will be the air encased, integral fired superheater type, with economizers, the outlines shown on the deck plans submitted indicate that the proposed boilers are the single uptake superheat control boilers which is the Navy Department’s latest development and based on confidential plans compiled by the Navy Department.
- (2)
- The proposed electrical installation represents the latest Navy [Page 879] Department development and is based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (3)
- The general type of machinery and equipment developed by you in connection with the design of torpedo boat destroyers for the United States has been based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (4)
- The proposed torpedo tubes with mount were designed by the Navy Department and are based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (5)
- The 1.1ʹʹ gun was designed by the Navy Department and is based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (6)
- The 5ʹʹ 38 caliber twin mount gun was designed by the Navy Department and is based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (7)
- All the fire control equipment for torpedoes, 5ʹʹ and 1.1ʹʹ guns, is based on confidential specifications compiled by the Navy Department.
- (8)
- The ammunition, including the fuses for the 5ʹʹ and 1.1ʹʹ guns, are based on confidential specifications of the Navy Department.
The Navy Department has no objection to the designing of torpedo boat destroyers by you, provided such design be in no way based on confidential plans and specifications issued or approved by the Navy Department subsequent to the original specifications for the Mahan class of destroyers dated 1933, subject to the following:
- (a)
- The confidential electrical system may not be included.
- (b)
- The Ordnance items of armament and the fire control system, all of which are confidential, may not be included.
- (c)
- In substitution for (b) above, the Navy Department will interpose no objection to the release of certain Ordnance items of armament and fire control, namely, the 4ʹʹ/50 caliber gun and 3ʹʹ/23 caliber AA gun both without ammunition or fuses, the triple torpedo tube, the depth charge rack, and the fire control system of the Vickers type.
In accordance with the authorization orally given by Mr. Gibbs, the substance of the letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy has been communicated orally to Mr. Scott Ferris, attorney for the Carp Export and Import Corporation.
Very truly yours,
Chief, Division of Controls
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed.↩
- A similar letter of objections dated May 18, 1939, was received from the Acting Secretary of the Navy covering the plans for the destroyer flotilla leader (2,400 tons), and Gibbs and Cox, Inc., were informed of this decision by the Secretary of State in a letter of May 22, 1939 (711.00111 Armament Control/Military Secrets/1795).↩