*In political circles it was held that such a capture would give no aid to supporters of the Administration’s Neutrality Bill, which would ban United States vessels from sailing to European ports and thus eliminate the danger of conflict arising from such seizures.
Maybe that is why it took two weeks and a day for this story to find its way into print. The Flint was seized on October 9 and it is a five-column page one headline on the 24th.
. . . the cargo of the City of Flint comprised more than fifty separate items “typical of her usual cargo on this run.” The statement added:
”The list included lard, cereals, canned meats, flour, canned goods, apples, wax, lubricating oil, cotton, sewing machines, plows, asphalt, pitch, grease, shade rollers, machinery, silk commercial chemicals, abrasive grains, disinfectants, feathers, coffee, lumber, gauze, hair and wall board. The total cargo amounted to approximately 5,000 tons.”
According to aab’s reply #7 on the thread linked below, the Flint held 4,000 tons of lubricating oil – 80% of the cargo.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/oct39/f24oct39.htm
Polish gold arrives in Paris
Tuesday, October 24, 1939 www.onwar.com
In Paris... The Polish gold reserves arrive, having traveled via Romania and Syria. The value of the gold is estimated at over £15,000,000.
In London... The Polish Consul-General announces that Poles in Britain will be mobilized for service in the Polish Army in France.
On the Western Front... A fairly sharp engagement takes place towards the southeastern border of the Forest of Warndt, where a German attack on a French outpost is driven back.
In Moscow... A Soviet-German trade agreement is signed. The USSR agrees to supply 1 million tonnes of grain and fodder to Germany. Meanwhile, the Finnish delegation leaves to consult with their government on new proposals put forward by the Soviet government, concerning boundary revisions.
In Danzig... The Nazi Foreign Minister, Ribbentrop, delivers a speech in which he accuses the British government of systematically preparing, over a period of years, to make war on Germany.