811.20 Defense(M)/3759: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)51
209. Reference your 427, 428, and 429, November 14, and your 423, November 12.52 The Department is obtaining consideration for the desire of the Turkish Government for additional shipping. The Department has also noted the Turkish request that Great Britain furnish 50,000 tons of wheat. The British Embassy here has informed the Department that the Turkish Government has also requested from them 30,000 tons of barley. These requests for foodstuffs will be favorably considered by this Government and, it is assumed, by the British Government, but before replying definitely, the Department desires further information as to the possibility of the Turks being able to move the chrome to be purchased during 1942 to the ports of Mersin and Alexandretta or other ports in their vicinity.
The policy of this Government and it is believed of the British Government to date has necessarily been based on the premise that the Turks will be able to move from the three chrome areas 307,000 (your 428 of November 14) tons of chrome to the ports of Mersin and Alexandretta or other ports in their immediate vicinity during the year 1942. If this can be done by the Turks, necessary shipping can be provided to take this chrome from these accessible ports to the United Kingdom and the United States or some intermediate point of transshipment. Recent information which the Department has received as to the extent of sea and rail transport in Turkey has led the Department to believe that there is a serious doubt whether the Turks will be able through their railroads and coastal shipping to move this total of 307,000 tons to these accessible ports in 1942. If this doubt is valid, it is obvious that some new measures not presently [Page 972] under consideration will have to be adopted if the objective of cleaning out Turkish chrome by the end of 1942 is to be achieved. You are accordingly requested to consult with your British colleague and to telegraph the Department your opinion as to whether the Department may safely rely on the willingness and ability of the Turkish Government to move the 307,000 tons of chrome to Mersin and Alexandretta or other ports in their vicinity in 1942. If you believe that it is not safe to rely upon the Turkish ability and willingness to transport this amount of chrome, your opinion is requested as to whether and to what extent the Turks will increase the amount of chrome made available to these accessible ports during the 12 months of 1942 over the amount so delivered during 1941.
You are also requested, after consultation with your British colleague, to telegraph to the Department your opinion as to the maximum amount of chrome which can be made available by the Turkish Government at the Sea of Marmora ports, Fethiye, Mersin and Alexandretta and adjacent ports during the months of December 1941 to April 1942, inclusive, specifying in your reply the total tonnage to each port and assuming that you can obtain the maximum cooperation of the Turkish Government in making chrome available at ports during this period.