841.6362/4–1847: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
2292. At the request of the Prime Minister1 I called on him this morning. Subject of the discussion was coal. He asked whether a personal communication from him to the President outlining the needs for an allocation by ECO of coal to the United Kingdom would be an appropriate thing for him to do. I outlined to him in reply what our previous communications to the Dept had contained, told him of the effect of the recent strike upon the availability of coal during the second quarter and of the possibility that with proper cooperation of inland transport and port loading facilities at home the availability during the third and fourth quarters may reach a figure of 3,100,000 tons a month. I pointed out to him that because the possibility of a coal strike on the first of July and other mishaps which might upset close coordination, we could not state precisely what the export availability would be. I informed him of the arrival of Mr. Koenig2 and of the purposes of his visit. Finally I told him that even though the export availability from the United States to ECO might be substantially increased it was our view that any application of the UK [Page 502] for an allocation should stand on its own feet and be voted in the ordinary fashion by ECO. The Prime Minister expressed gratification at what we were attempting to do and concluded that unless I advised him to the contrary he would not now communicate with the President.
Barring a coal strike, it would be helpful to have your current best estimate of the availability of coal for export through ECO.
- Clement R. Attlee.↩
- Robert P. Koenig, President of Ayrshire Collieries Company, had arrived at the London Embassy to serve as temporary technical consultant on coal to the Ambassador. On June 13 he submitted to Ambassador Douglas a “short analysis and study” of the British coal industry; a copy is in the Department of State file No. 841.6362/6–1347.↩