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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

George I. Gay, Commissioner, Planning Division to Raymond B. Stevens, Vice-Chairman, Shipping Board, and Representative, Allied Maritime Transport Council

Chronological Copy.                        File No. <42-2-4>

Cablegram Received May <2, 1918.> 08204 TOH

Origin  Opnav Washington.                  Ser. No. B.N. 95

C-3 4 May

29 ADR

Simsadus.

Boards Navy 95. For Stevens from Gay. British War Mission here has received cable from England advising that England will ship coal from South Africa to South America for the present to full extent of available tonnage. England favors U.S. plan to use between U.S. and Brazil and Argentine only enough boats to hands<le> required importations namely 1,600,000 long tons from these countries to U.S. England agrees to plan that U.S. be responsible for whole supply coal and other goods to Brazil and for supplying 420,000 long tons coal and other essentials to Argentine all on shipping under U.S. control. The balance of South America requirements namely Argentine and Uruguay except what is covered by Uruguayan ex-German ship trade direct to U.S. will be supplied by United Kingdom and South Africa. The French say 4 vessels of those covered by Franco-Brazilian agreement satisfactory sailing from Brazil to U.S. and thence to France presumably to load coal to Brazil.

     England will cable each week to British War Mission here what shipments are made to South America from United Kingdom and South Africa. Gay will advise British War Mission here each week shipments of coal from U.S. to South America and War Mission will transmit figures to England. 10002

Benson   

Note: “Satisfactory” comes garbled.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The hand-written date is confirmed by the time/date stamp at the close of the cable.

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