893.24/4–648
The Secretary of the Army (Royall) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: The study referred to in my letter dated 15 March 194884 has been completed. The amount of supplies transferred may vary from the quantity reported due to the fact that all surpluses available for transfer are subject to the terms of either Foreign Liquidation Commissioner or the Field Commissioner for Military Programs contracts and Chinese acceptance. The computation, Tab “A”,85 compares the Chinese requirements as set forth in the memorandum inclosed in Mr. Lovett’s letter dated 31 December 194786 with the availability of matériel.
Particular emphasis has been placed on ammunition requirements by listing them in detail. Transfer of these items has been expedited.
Due to the nature of this transaction and the widespread location of the supplies, the Department of the Army is unable to maintain an up-to-the-minute status report on all items. These figures will, however, indicate the approximate magnitude of this assistance.
Quantities greater than indicated in the tabulations are not surplus to the Department of the Army needs and cannot, therefore, be made available under the Surplus Property Act. Only by statutory authority and appropriation can they be fulfilled.87
Sincerely yours,
- Missing from Department files.↩
- Not printed; it gave detailed lists of various types of surplus material on Saipan and in Hawaii moved by Chinese or applicable against requests for assistance.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vii, p. 938.↩
- The lists enclosed with this letter were transmitted to the Chinese Embassy on April 21 with the statement that the amount of supplies eventually available might vary somewhat from the figures listed (893.24/12–2347).↩