841D.852/17
The Irish Minister (Brennan) to the Secretary of State
The Minister of Ireland presents his compliments to the Honourable the Secretary of State and has the honour to inform him that Irish Shipping Limited of Dublin, are negotiating with States Marine Corporation, 90 Broad Street, New York, N. Y., for the purchase of the s/s Wolverine, a vessel of 7997 d.w.t., owned by States Marine Corporation, at present under requisition to the War Shipping Administration and chartered by them.
Application for the approval of the sale of this vessel to Irish Shipping Limited and for its transfer to Irish registry is being made to the United States Maritime Commission by States Marine Corporation, as required by Section 9 of the Shipping Act, 1916,35 as amended.
As the Secretary is no doubt aware, Irish Shipping Limited was established by the Irish Government with a view to providing shipping [Page 164] facilities for the importation to Ireland of commodities essential to the economic life of the Irish people, because of the impossibility of obtaining these supplies through shipping facilities used prior to the outbreak of the war, and the entire share capital of the Company is held by the Minister for Finance.
In this connection it will be recalled that on the generous initiative of the President, two American vessels—the West Nevis and the West Hematite—were chartered by the United States Maritime Commission to Irish Shipping Limited. Unfortunately, those two vessels, which were trading to United States and Canadian ports carrying cargoes of wheat to Ireland, were lost and it is in order to replace, to some extent, the vital tonnage so lost that Irish Shipping Limited are anxious to purchase the s/s Wolverine, so that wheat and other essential supplies may continue to be brought to Ireland.
In view of these circumstances and of the urgent need of Irish Shipping Limited for cargo vessels, the Minister begs to request that the Secretary may be so good as to recommend to the War Shipping Administration that the application above referred to be granted.
- 39 Stat. 728.↩