File No. 763.72111/4353
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Treasury ( McAdoo)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of December 21, suggesting that some plan be devised whereby collectors of customs would not be required to request specific authority in each instance for granting clearance to armed vessels arriving at ports of the United States.
[Page 546]After very careful consideration of the request contained in your letter this Department has come to the conclusion that, in view of the fact that heavier armament is being placed on the vessels, that men of naval experience are being used to operate such armament, and that incidents have recently taken place tending to indicate the possibility of complications in the matter of armed merchant ships, the present is inopportune to undertake a modification of the plan now in operation.
I have [etc.]