Cablegram unnumbered LONDON, 18 April 1940, 8.37 p.m.
Your telegram 17th April. [1]
Owing to the tense atmosphere recently and changes of Ministers in Departments of Food and Shipping, have been unable to progress in dried and canned fruit discussions and in clearing up shipping position.
Have now had most useful personal and private talk with Woolton [2] and am seeing Hudson [3] in the same way to-morrow. Am hopeful as a result of these conversations of making progress towards clearing up the position in the next few days.
BRUCE
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1 On file AA:A571, W40/903, i. It emphasised the Commonwealth Govt’s concern over the problem of obtaining shipping space for export cargoes.
2 U.K. Minister of Food. Bruce’s note of this talk on 10 April 1940 is on file AA: M100, April 1940.
3 U.K. Minister of Shipping. Bruce reported the meeting in an unnumbered cablegram dispatched on 29 April 1940 (on file cited in note 1).
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[FA: A3195, 1.2572]