811.20 Defense (M)/106a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy)

1746. This Government has purchased approximately 6300 tons of tungsten and 6700 tons of antimony from the Chinese Government, for shipment from Haiphong and Saigon, Indochina, where it has been in storage. The United States vessels, Puerto Rican and Birmingham City, of the Isthmian Line, will carry these cargoes to the United States; the Puerto Rican is now loading and the Birmingham City will load during the latter part of the month. Please place this information informally before the appropriate British officials and request that British naval officers be instructed to permit the free movement of these vessels.

Hull