Office of the Historian

390.1115A/890a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)44

Washington, June 9, 1942.

2625. Department’s 2480, June l.45 For British Government and Governments to which Biddle is accredited.46 Since Japanese Government has postponed sailing of Asama Maru and Conte Verde, M. S. Gripsholm will now sail from New York at 4 p.m., June 17. Itinerary of Gripsholm given in Department’s telegram under reference should be altered accordingly.

Please obtain urgently assurances of safe-conduct for voyages of Asama Maru and Conte Verde from Japan to Lourenço Marques and return. Inform Department promptly of receipt of these assurances in order that Department may notify Swiss and Spanish Governments.

Itinerary of Asama Maru:

Leaves Yokohama June 17, arrives Hong Kong June 22, leaves Hong Kong June 23, arrives Saigon June 26, leaves Saigon June 27, [Page 430] arrives proximity of Singapore June 29, leaves proximity of Singapore July 3, crossing Straits of Sunda and passing south of Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar, arrives Lourenço Marques July 16, leaves Lourenço Marques July 19, arrives proximity of Singapore August 1, leaves proximity of Singapore August 4, arrives Kobe, August 12.

Itinerary of Conte Verde:

Leaves Kobe June 18, arrives Shanghai June 21, leaves Shanghai June 24, arrives proximity Singapore June 30, leaves proximity Singapore July 3, arrives Lourenço Marques July 16. Return voyage to Japan on same itinerary as Asama Maru.

Markings on Japanese exchange vessels are as follows:

1. (Daytime)

(a)
Grey hull, white deckhouses, black funnels.
(b)
On each side of hull, two white crosses with Japanese ensign in between, are painted amidships.
(c)
On each side of bow and stern, white cross is painted about same height as above mentioned ensign.
(d)
Japanese ensign is painted on top of fore deck, cargo hatch and a white cross each on top of quarter deck, cargo hatch and both ends of bridge (except Conte Verde which has a white cross in middle of roof bridge).
(e)
Japanese ensign hoisted on foremast.
(f)
White cross on both sides of funnels.

2. (After Dark)

(a)
Ships will be lit normally.
(b)
Series of light signals visible all around horizon to be hoisted on top of main mast in vertical order of green, red, green, red.
(e)
White cross illumination amidships on both sides of hull and on stern.
d)
White crosses on funnels and quarter deck illuminated.
(e)
Cargo lamp fixed on each side of stern so as to project light slantingly upwards to characteristics of exchange vessel.
Asama Maru—Tonnage: Gross 16,975  Net 10,017
Length: 170.69 metres
Two funnels
Two masts
Cruiser stern built in 1928
Speed: 16 knots
Width: 21.95 metres
Depth: 12.95 metres
Conte Verde—Tonnage: Gross 18.765   Net 11.517
Two funnels
Two masts
Elliptical stern built in 1923
Speed: 16 knots
Length: 600 knots [feet]
Width: 75 feet.
Hull
  1. The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date to the Embassies in the Soviet Union (No. 286) and China (No. 503); sent to the Embassy in Cuba as a circular telegram, and repeated to the Embassy in Panama and the Legations in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.↩
  2. See footnote 43, p. 425.↩
  3. Belgium, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Greece, established in England.↩