Office of the Historian

740.00112 European War 1939/356: Telegram

The Consul at Gibraltar (Chapman) to the Secretary of State

Gibraltar, October 23, 1939—9 a.m.
[Received October 23—7:15 a.m.]

8. In reference to Germany’s warning against neutral vessels being convoyed by Allied war vessels,75 I have suggested to the Gibraltar Contraband Control Officer the hope that neither the American Export Line Exporter or Lykes Brothers Steamship Company’s ship Oakman now here will be subjected to convoy to England to discharge any cargo that may be condemned. He is anxious to dispose of the cases under instructions from London without that. (See my report of September 26, first paragraph, page 4.76) The two freighters have been at Gibraltar more than one week without an answer from the London authorities as to what disposition shall be made of cotton, coke, et cetera, for Switzerland. The former carries over 100 bags of United States mail for Mediterranean ports.

Chapman
  1. See note of October 19, from the German Chargé, p. 704.↩
  2. Not printed.↩