Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

861.24/3–1846

The Secretary of State to the Chargé of the Soviet Union (Novikov)

Washington, March 18, 1946.

Sir: During the course of the, war, the Government of the United States transferred to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics a substantial number of dry-cargo vessels, tankers, and other merchant watercraft. These transfers were made under the authority of the Lend-Lease Act, and subject to the provisions of the Master Agreement executed by our Governments on June 11, 1942, on the understanding that the vessels in question were required for the effective prosecution of the war. The records of the Government of the United States indicate that thirty-nine Liberty ships, including three Liberty tankers, five T–2 tankers, forty-eight dry cargo or passenger-cargo ships constructed prior to the war, one tanker constructed prior to the war, and three tugs, two of which were built during the war, remain in the custody of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. A list of the vessels, by their present and former names, together with the transfer dates, is appended hereto.⁷ It will be noted that vessels which are known to have been lost or which were retransferred to the Government of the United States are excluded from this tabulation.

Legislation has now been enacted relating to the disposition of warbuilt merchant vessels by this Government. In view of this legislation and the termination of the wartime requirement for the vessels enumerated above, this Government will shortly be prepared to entertain applications for purchase of certain of the vessels enumerated which your Government may wish to retain. A copy of this law relating to the war-built merchant vessels is attached hereto for your information.⁸ Merchant vessels other than of wartime construction are not covered by this statute, and would have to be sold under the pertinent provisions of other statutes.

Should your Government not be interested in purchasing any or all of the enumerated vessels, will you please arrange for their return within the next sixty days to United States ports, in accordance with the provisions of Article V of the Master Agreement of June 11, 1942. The specific ports will be designated upon notification to the effect that the vessels are to be returned. Since you will note from the text of the statute enclosed that Liberty tankers are not eligible for sale, it is therefore requested that your Government arrange for the return of the three vessels of this type within the next 60 days.⁹

The provisions of this note do not relate to the S.S. Charles Gordon Curtis, renamed the S.S. Sergei Kirov, and the S.S. John Langdon, renamed the S.S. Tbilisi, which were transferred to your Government in connection with an understanding relating to the employment of certain categories of the Italian fleet and certain tonnage of the Italian merchant marine.¹⁰ These vessels will be made the subject of a separate communication.

Accept [etc.]

James F. Byrnes

7. Not printed.
8. The Merchant Ship Sales Act, approved March 8, 1946; 60 Stat. 41.
9. In his answer to this note, dated April 22, 1946, Chargé Novikov stated (in translation) “the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is prepared to consider the question of the vessels … simultaneously with the consideration of the question mentioned in the item 7 of your note of February 21, 1946, in accordance with the item 3 of our note of March 15, 1946.” (861.24/4–2246)
10. These two vessels were not transferred to the Soviet Union under lend-lease but in connection with the distribution of the Italian Fleet.