Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
Brigadier General Bernhard A. Johnson to Mr. Thomas B. McCabe
22655. Reurad 94268, January 23. General Marshall and Admiral Cooke81 of 7th Fleet both highly desirous of Admiral Mar’s deal being completed. Admiral Cooke recently returned from conference with General Marshall and in FLC conference with Admiral Cooke he proposed that equipment and supplies needed by Admiral Mar to modernize the Kiangnan dockyards be sold to Mar and to be paid for completely by services rendered. The Navy is of the opinion that such an arrangement for a period of even longer than 25 years is of considerable advantage to them. Admiral Cooke is cabling CNO today.82
[Page 1072]1. Can FLC sell the supplies needed by Admiral Mar with payment to be made in services on the basis requested by the Navy?
If Admiral Mar’s 5 million dollar want list cannot be made up from foreign surplus but must be delivered in whole or in part from equipment now in the United States then:
2. After the surplus equipment and supplies are declared by the owning agency in the United States can the Domestic Disposal Agency transfer the SPA 3 Forms to FLC Shanghai for sale by this office as foreign surplus to Admiral Mar?
If answer to queries is affirmative, then as soon as a complete want list is obtained from Admiral Mar here, we will notify your office and close the deal. His requirements are presently in the files of the Bureau of Yards and Docks in Washington. You may want to refer to the files of the Bureau to determine the answer to query number 2.