(NS 1391/8)
CONFIDENTIAL.
Comman
176
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
23rd March, 1950.
Dear Radford,
You will be interested to hear that a report recently received from the Ministry of Transport on the Blockade of the China Coast contained the following
passage:-
"15. The Associated Press put out a somewhat misleading story that the Russians had sold two ships and were planning to sell a third to Communists in Hong Kong. The implications were obvious. The Associated Press neglected to say that all three ships were under repair in Hong Kong in 1942 when they fell into Japanese hands.
They were found as wrecks in 1945 and have remained so ever since. Only at expense out of all reason could they be made to sail again. They were no doubt sold as scrap.
This looks like a reference to the "Simferopol and "Svirs troi", about which Rae of this Department wrote to Wallace of yours on 4th January, 1949
If it is, we should be interested
(27) on 48 (N 13737/1485/38).
to know whether it is true. Could you find out?
R. E. Radford, Esq.,
Colonial Office.
The