Document 2j4ByvG8qqG9oYOjL8NDk2jaR

BOARD CT BCONOOC WARFARE ROMomc nrouz board WASHINGTON, D. C. Directly. No. 1131-8 The Honorable The Secretary of Cfamerce March 25, 1943 Attentioni 0. Tempi. Bridgman Metals Reserve Coopery Dear Mr. Secretary: Metale Reserve Company, by letters dated February 3, 1943, has asked Cape Asbestos Co., Ltd., and Raw Asbestos Distributors, Ltd., to furnish public weigher's certificates in connection with deliveries of asbestos under the three contracts with those companies and with Egnep, Ltd., dated December 18 and December 22, 1942. The contracts do not require such certificates, but the letters of credit establish ed by Metale Reserve Company pursuant to which payment is to be made to the sellers on ehiposnt of asbestos from South Africa have pre scribed that such certificates shall be furnished to the bank as a prerequisite to payment. The sellers have raised objection to this requirement and the Cape Asbestos Company has informed us that in order to obtain payment under the letters of credit it is being required to put up letters of guarantee to the bank. In view of the fact that the eontraots do not impose any such requirement on the sellers, and in view of the sellers' obvious unwillingness to comply with the request that they furnish ouch <**rtiflevies, it appears that it will be necessary to accede to the sellers' objections and permit payment to be made without the furnishing of such certificates. Mr. Vasserman - who negotiated the contracts, feele that the reliability of the companies is usch that the pbulic weigher's certificates need not be insisted upon. Accordingly, Metale Reserve Company is hereby authorised and instructed amend the terras of the letters of credit established to cover pay menta for shipments of asbestos under the aofrmnentloned contracts, so aa to eliminate the requirement for public weigher's certificates. We will inform the companies that the request for public weigher's certif icates le being withdrawn and at the same time will request t`e sellers to furnish thelrown certificates of weMt, * m* quality, In the form prescribed by you in your letters of February 3, 1943 to Cane Asbeatoe Company, Ltd., and Raw Aebeatoe Distributors, Ltd. Sincerely yours, /a/ Morris S. Rosenthal Morris S. Rosenthal Assistant Director In Charge. Office of Imports