711.94114 Supplies/18: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton)
959. Reference your 1264, September 4. Pursuant to the authorization set forth in Soviet Foreign Office note of September 2, Amcross12 has begun making shipments to Vladivostok. Part of first shipment of 1500 tons is leaving Spokane immediately in a Soviet [Page 821] vessel and it is expected that balance will follow promptly in several vessels. Expected to arrive Vladivostok last part October. 1500 tons will be shipped monthly thereafter. It is assumed that Soviet port authorities have been informed by Soviet Government in regard to these shipments and have been instructed to warehouse them. Please verify.
Efforts are continuing to arrive at agreement with Japanese as to onward movement of these supplies.
Please inform Consulate General at Vladivostok that these shipments are enroute and give him complete background of agreement with Soviet Government. Also inform him that present shipment includes 100 tons medical supplies which should be stored in semi-heated warehouse as otherwise fluids might breed [freeze].
Consulate General should inform Department of storage arrangements made and of arrival and disposition of relief supplies at Vladivostok.13
- American Red Cross.↩
- The Consulate General at Vladivostok reported through the Embassy in Moscow that arrangements had been made locally for the storage of supplies in warehouses, including heated storage for items that could freeze. The first supplies had arrived on October 19. The Consulate General further pointed out that “its steps to prevent pilferage will be greatly facilitated if it can be advised by telegraph by the Department of each shipment together with the name of the vessel and the numbers of the bills of lading on the supplies.” (711.94114 Supplies/53) The arrival and storage of later shipments were also reported through the Embassy in Moscow on December 23 (711.94114 Supplies/78).↩