Office of the Historian

711.94114 Supplies/11–244: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, November 2, 1944—5 p.m.
[Received 7:05 p.m.]

4212. In reply to my note transmitting the information contained in the Department’s 2559, October 29, I have received from the Foreign Office an aide-mémoire dated November 1 which states:

(1)
That it will not be possible to load the Hakusan Maru in less than 5 days and that the vessel will therefore leave Nakhodka on November 8 and not on November 6 as previously planned. The Foreign Office assumes that the appropriate American naval authorities will be informed of this change in the departure date.
(2)
The Foreign Office has checked with the Japanese Embassy in Moscow and has been informed that 1900 tons is the correct cargo capacity of the Hakusan Maru. The Soviet authorities in Vladivostok have been informed of the wishes of the American Government with respect to the priority to be accorded the various categories of freight in loading the vessel.
(3)
The Japanese Embassy has informed the Foreign Office that it has been decided not to ship any tea on the Hakusan Maru. It will therefore deliver at Nakhodka nothing except mail and nine tons of books. We have transmitted to the Foreign Office the contents of the Department’s 2578, November 1,18 regarding the bearings of the approach point for the Japanese ship.

Kennan
  1. Not printed.↩