861.24/664: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:44 p.m.]
1767. For Hopkins from Brown.5 Recommend that following information be transmitted to Maritime Commission to prepare it for initial action in cooperation with the Ministry of War Transport to implement the Russian aid program.
Soviet Government desires to receive supplies at only three ports: Archangel, Vladivostok and via head of Persian Gulf. It is basing its demand for aid upon what it conceives to be the capacities of these routes which it estimates to be 300,000 tons per month by way of Archangel, 140,000 by Vladivostok and eventually 60,000 by way of the trans-Iran route which has a capacity of only 6,000 tons per month at the present time. It states that the port of Archangel will be kept open by ice breakers.
Generally, delivery of one-half of the food products, all the war material and the greater part of the raw materials is desired at Archangel and of half the food and some equipment, at Vladivostok. With the exception of 10,000 tons to Vladivostok in 1941 all oil until 1942 is to be delivered to Archangel and thereafter half should go to each port.
The Soviet Government states that it will provide bottoms for carrying approximately 60,000 tons per month in the Atlantic and 30,000 tons per month plus 27,000 tons of tankers in the Pacific. It will make available in Moscow list of ships allotted to this service 1 month and preferably 2 months ahead of shipments.
[Page 844]Agreement states United Kingdom and United States of America will make supplies available at centers of production but that both will give aid to transportation and help with deliveries. [Brown.]
- Douglas Brown, appointed by Mr. Harriman as his personal representative to remain in Moscow as the head of the Permanent Supply Mission.↩