833.34/79: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Uruguay (Wilson)
112. Your 198, September 6, 2 p.m. When the next suitable opportunity occurs to discuss with appropriate Uruguayan officials the proposed purchase of three destroyers from this Government, you are requested to say that the Navy Department regrets that it is unable to make any destroyers available for sale at the present time, but is withholding final action awaiting the result of the staff conversations shortly to take place. It is barely possible that other types of vessels, such as gun boats or patrol boats would be more suitable for Uruguayan immediate needs than destroyers.
For your confidential information the Navy Department states that it believes that the strategic situation in the North Atlantic does not permit the disposal of any destroyers to Uruguay at the present time, the more so as this would inevitably lead to similar requests from other American republics for purchase of destroyers.