Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Far East: China, Volume VIII

893.24/4–1348

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chinese Ambassador (Koo)

The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador and has the honor to refer to the Embassy’s note of March 24, 1948,⁹² requesting that arrangements be made for the use of a naval dock in Pearl Harbor for the loading of surplus ammunition purchased by the Chinese Government in Hawaii. A copy of the Embassy’s note was forwarded by this Department to the naval authorities concerned for appropriate consideration.

A communication has now been received from the Navy Department⁹² stating that the facilities requested will be made available subject to the following provisions:

(a) That the facilities be used between 15 May and 15 July 1948.

(b) That no extra expense be incurred by the Department of the Navy for loading the surplus ammunition.

(c) That the Commanding Officer, U. S. Naval Ammunition Depot. Oahu have complete supervision over the loading, procedures and safety measures to be followed.

(d) That contract stevedores rather than civil service stevedores be employed to load commercial ships used by the Chinese to transport the ammunition.

(e) That the responsibility of the U. S. Navy for loading of the vessels not commence until the ammunition has been delivered and unloaded at the pier.

If the Chinese Government desires the use of the facilities in question under the terms indicated above it is requested that this Department be so informed in order that the necessary arrangements may be made for the loading of the ammunition.⁹³

Washington, April 20, 1948.

92. Missing from Department files.
92. Missing from Department files.
93. The Chinese Embassy indicated by a note of April 28 that the Chinese Government desired these facilities. By later agreement use of these facilities was extended to August 15.