Cypher/Cat A
CONFIDENTIAL
SAIGON TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 611
18 August 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Hong Kong telegram No. 114 of 18 August Repeated for information to Foreign Office
Your telegram No. 63.
43
All
Preliminary assessment is less than hopeful. East coast ports are very short of water and could not possibly supply it in quantities you would require. Nor could tankers of any size venture far enough up the rivers to avoid excessive salinity.
2.
Only hope seems to be Saigon river, but this would debar tankers of the size you envisage. Tankers of up to 18,000 tons dead weight go up river as far as Nha Be (maximum draft of shipping is between 25 and 29ft. 8ins, depending on the tides), However piped water is also short supply at Nha Be, and we have as yet been unable to discover the characteristics of the river water. But it is unlikely that river water would be suitable below Nha Be, so the size of tanker would be in any case limited.
3. Would you like us to pursue the matter further?
Mr. Gordon
Sent 11002/18 August 1967
Recd 1224Z/18 August 1967
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
S.E.A.D.
F.0.
F.E.D.
LAT
J.I.P.G.D.
RET
J.I.R.D.
Overseas Labour Adviser
NEX
ALT
56
C.O.
FFFFF
H.KYW.I.D. "C"
I. & G.D.
News Dept.
CONFIDENTIAL