811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/271: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
Ankara, January
20, 1943—noon.
[Received January 21—6:25 p.m.]
[Received January 21—6:25 p.m.]
127. Following is summary of movement of Turkish chrome ore in long tons during 1942.
- 1.
- Shipments of chrome ore from Turkish accessible ports to Egypt and United States of America amounted to 122,210 long tons. Largest [Page 1152] movements occurred in April and December with 19,257 and 19,478 tons respectively. Lowest month was November with no shipments. Monthly average was 10, 184 tons.
- 2.
- Arrivals of chrome ore at accessible ports of Mersin and Iskenderun totalled 128,778 tons of which 70,934 tons arrived gosea [by sea?] from inaccessible ports. Mica, 54,041 tons by rail from Guleman Mines, 3,303 tons by rail from mines in western Turkey and 500 tons from local production at Iskenderun. Average monthly arrival was 10,732 tons. Monthly average for arrivals by sea was 5,911 tons and by rail from Guleman Mines 4,503 tons. Largest monthly arrivals by sea occurred in July and May with 17,771 and 12,049 tons respectively. Rail arrivals from Guleman Mines were maintained between 6,500 and 8,500 tons monthly from March through July; average for other 7 months was only 2,200 tons due to crop movements on railroads and adverse weather conditions.
- 3.
- Stocks of declared ore amounted on December 31, 1941 to 269 tons at accessible ports and 107,059 tons at all other ports and stations and on December 31, 1942 to 4,541 tons at accessible ports and 86, 143 tons at all other ports and stations. The above figures do not include stocks at mine heads which were estimated at 80,000 tons on December 31, 1941. 255,000 tons have already been declared as being at mines on January 8, 1943 and an additional 100,000 tons are expected to be declared.
Steinhardt