862.852/53
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Bursley) to the Chief of the Division (Duggan)
Mr. Truelle25 of the French Embassy spoke to me yesterday in your absence from your office. He said that his Government had information to the effect that Mexico was about to acquire from Germany all of the German vessels now in Mexican waters with the exception of the Columbus as an offset to the five million marks credit established in Germany by Mexico in connection with oil shipments. Mr. Truelle did not seem to know whether the marks in question were of the gold or some other variety.
I gave him some general information such as might be available to anyone who has carefully followed the Mexican and American press, and in reply to his specific inquiry as to whether we knew of the conclusion of any deal between the Mexican and German governments [Page 78] respecting some or all of the vessels in question, I said that so far as I knew no definite arrangements had been made.
He said he would appreciate being informed should we learn of the conclusion of any arrangement of this character.
The last information I have indicated that the British and French governments had not been receptive to any ideas of acquisition by Mexico or other American republics of German vessels, and I would therefore appreciate instructions as to whether, in the event we receive information of the reaching of an agreement between Germany and Mexico in this matter, I should inform Mr. Truelle.
- Jacques Truelle, French Minister, and Counselor of Embassy.↩