861.00/7674: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol)
105. Referring to your 568 November 10th transmitting McCully’s 88, to your 569 November 11th and to your 572 November 11 transmitting McCully’s 89:28
Department has arranged with Shipping Board and with Russian Embassy here that Russian Embassy will meet expenses [Page 625] arising out of diversion of Shipping Board vessels now in or near Black Sea to transport Russian refugees from Crimea to adjacent places of safety whether such reimbursement to be made to Shipping Board itself or to private operators. You are therefore authorized in your discretion to employ such Shipping Board vessels as may be available to transfer refugees. Shipping Board informing its representative Constantinople.
Department understands from Shipping Board that following vessels now at or near following places: West Saginaw and West Galeta at Bourgas, Bulgaria; Oshhosh at Galatz, Roumania; Sin-sinawa sailed Braila for Constanza October 25th; Faraby arrived Theodosia, Crimea, September 25th; and Eastern Victor sailed from Gibraltar November 3rd for Constantinople.
Department assumes you will in your discretion use naval vessels at your disposition to fullest extent your authority and is arranging with Navy Department to confirm this understanding to you.
American Red Cross will cooperate with you.
While this government considers main burden of assisting these refugees rests on France and Great Britain it desires to assist with available American vessels if needed. French and British Embassies here have accordingly been requested to inform their governments that this government looks to France and Great Britain to make necessary arrangements with proper governments for landing refugees. It would therefore seem desirable that you cooperate as fully as possible with proper representatives in Constantinople as concerns American participation.
Keep Department fully informed.
- No. 572 not printed.↩