393.115 Tung or Wood Oil/188: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 14—12:45 p.m.]
726. Reference Department’s 270, July 29, 3 p.m. regarding wood oil at Hankow. I have this afternoon made oral and written representations to the Japanese Consul General urging that the Japanese authorities facilitate the movement from Hankow of approximately 3715 long tons of American owned wood oil valued at about 1,650,000 United States dollars. I suggested that foreign or Japanese bulk oil lighters or both be used to move the oil to Shanghai, or that an American tanker proceed to Hankow to transport the oil to the United States, Spencer Kellogg having cabled me from Buffalo that they are prepared so to arrange, or if a suitable Japanese tanker is available and desires to carry the cargo from Hankow to the United States this might be arranged. I have also represented that there are at Hankow certain other supplies of wood oil which while not American owned are under contract of sale for delivery to American firms in the United States, and have requested that arrangements be made to facilitate transportation from Hankow. The Japanese Consul General was familiar with this matter and while stating that there are many authorities concerned assured me that he would give it his best attention.
I suggest that it would be helpful if Tokyo would also press the matter at the Foreign Office. I am sending to Tokyo by air mail copy of my letter to the Japanese Consul General.
Repeated to Tokyo, Chungking, Peiping and Hankow.