834.34/4–346: Telegram
The Ambassador in Paraguay ( Beaulac ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:30 p.m.]
145. Embassy agrees to proposal urtel 63 March 27, 8 p.m. providing following criteria observed: (1) Navy’s principal wartime, as well as peacetime, mission is transport; (2) vessels incapable of being utilized for transport purposes will probably not be operated during peacetime for reasons of economy; (3) no craft that is burning gasoline should be furnished because Paraguay cannot afford to operate them. Diesel or oil burning craft acceptable.
For Department’s information 6 gasoline engined picket boats furnished Paraguay under lend lease have never been used because of cost of operation; (4) having on [in] mind Paraguay’s extreme poverty and our fundamental [interest] in improving rather than retarding Paraguay’s economy, only most economical type of craft available should be furnished and these at lowest possible prices.18
- In telegram 73, April 5, 1946, 7 p.m., the Department indicated that the vessels offered fulfilled the criteria indicated (834.34/4–346).↩