893.34/7–2447
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The receipt is acknowledged of the Navy Department’s letter of July 24, 1947 enclosing a draft60 of an “Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of China Concerning the Transfer of Naval Vessels and Equipment Pursuant to United States Public Law 512—79th Congress of the United States of America”.
The Department of State is agreeable to the negotiation of an agreement substantially in the form of the draft forwarded with the Navy Department’s letter under acknowledgment. As the conduct of the foreign relations of this Government is placed in the Department of State by law and by custom, it is believed appropriate that [Page 973] the agreement should be negotiated and signed by representatives of the Department of State. Accordingly, a copy of the draft is being forwarded to the American Embassy at Nanking for negotiation with the Chinese Government. In the conduct of the negotiations, the Embassy is being instructed61 to avail itself of the advice and assistance of the senior United States naval officer in China.
Sincerely yours,