811.20 Defense (M)/10519: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 27—8:50 a.m.]
1390. Department’s 1086, November 14, 11 [7] p.m., strategic materials. CNRC representative informs Embassy that agreement has been reached in Washington whereby Metals Reserve undertakes to accept tin deliveries f. o. b. planes Kunming in an amount not exceeding 50% of wolfram deliveries. Embassy requests confirmation, and clarification on following point: Is it intended that tin will be accepted irrespective of available plane space for export (that is, for storage if planes are fully utilized for other cargo) or tin not to exceed 50% of wolfram delivered will be accepted only as it is required to fill outgoing plane space? As matters now stand, troops will continue to occupy most of space for several weeks to come. When this operation is completed, accumulated wolfram, and mercury and tin for Russia will fully utilize space for over a month. Hence it is not likely on present priorities that tin shipments for us would be made before February and, since tin is readily available at Kunming, acceptance of deliveries need not commence until that time.