740.00112 European War 1939/8033: Telegram

The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

864. Boheman told me today in strict confidence that British have notified Swedish Government their intention to lay up two Norwegian ships Lionel and Dicto now at Göteborg and to make no attempt to [Page 755] run them out at present. Boheman says he has no doubt that strength of German counter-measures (five destroyers lying in wait) are real reason. He asked me in reporting this to request that it not be passed on as information to any quarter. He does not know whether British have informed United States Government. British Legation here has not informed us.

Johnson