740.00112 European War 1939/5874: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Algiers (Cole)
224. For Murphy. The Ile d’Ouessant sailed July 21 from Newport News for Curaçao where it will bunker and load kerosene in 8,000 steel drums. It has a cargo of 5,000 tons of coal. As the matter now stands 2,000 tons of this coal and all the kerosene should be discharged at Casablanca and the remaining 3,000 tons of coal at Tangier. The empty kerosene drums should be controlled and returned to the United States in the manner described in the Department’s telegram no. 207 of July 3, 10 p.m.
The Ile de Noirmoutier sailed July 24 from New York for Curaçao where it will take on bunkers. Its cargo consists of approximately 4,600 tons of brown sugar, 1,270 tons of cotton goods, 500 tons of copper sulphate, 300 tons of leaf tobacco, 73 tons of cotton thread, 150 drums of consular gasoline, 2 drums of lubricating oil, and several miscellaneous articles.
You will be instructed in the near future regarding the return to the United States of certain twills and denims forming part of the cargo of the Ile de Noirmoutier. After the loading of these cotton goods questions were raised as to the desirability of sending the goods to French North Africa. However, in order not to delay further the departure of the vessel, the Anglo-American Blockade Committee agreed to permit the ship to sail on condition that the twills and denims be sent back to this country.