892.6363/167: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Singapore (Patton)
177. In concurrence with the British Government we wish to facilitate the supply to Thailand under adequate control of certain quantities to be agreed upon of aviation grade gasoline and aviation grades of lubricating oils. A complete description of the arrangements tentatively agreed upon between this Government and representatives here of the British and Netherlands Governments will be cabled to you shortly. Completion of these plans may require several days, and meanwhile we wish to facilitate the immediate delivery of small quantities of appropriate grades of aviation lubricating oils to Thailand. We understand from the Standard Vacuum Oil Company in New York that it will be possible for them to ship by first boat approximately 15 tons of aviation grade lubricating oils from their own stocks at Singapore. While they will make their own arrangements with the Thai Government for the purchase of this material, we request that you communicate with the local representative of this oil company and render all assistance possible to expedite this delivery. It is requested that you discuss this arrangement with the British authorities at Singapore to insure against duplication and to facilitate issuance of export licenses. We understand that the British Government has already arranged to supply a limited quantity of aviation grade gasoline pending agreements referred to earlier for continued supplies.
The above information is being transmitted to the Legation at Bangkok.55
- In his telegram No. 337, December 6, 1 p.m., Consul General Patton informed the Department of the impending sailing direct to Bangkok of the Thaiss with 1000 drums of Socony-Vacuum aviation gasoline and “120 drums aviation lubricating oil from Asiatic Petroleum Company in lieu of 15 tons mentioned in Department’s cable as Socony-Vacuum could not supply from stock.” (892.6363/166)↩