Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1897

Mr. Carter to Mr. Sherman.

Embassy of the United States,
London , March 21, 1897 .

No. 887.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of my telegram, sent from this embassy to-day, together with a copy of a note received from the foreign office under date of March 20, 1897, announcing the intended establishment, on the 21st of March, of a blockade of the Island of Crete by the combined British, Austro-Hungarian, French, German, Italian, and Russian naval forces, and transmitting three copies of notifications inserted in a supplement to the London Gazette of the 19th instant, two of which I have also the honor to inclose herewith, in order that they may become known to the citizens of the United States.

I have duly acknowledged the reception of the note above mentioned, and have informed Lord Salisbury that a copy thereof had been forwarded to my Government.

I have the honor, etc.

John Ridgely Carter.

[Inclosure in No. 887.]

Mr. Villiers to Mr. Carter.

Foreign Office , March 20, 1897 .

Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you three copies of notifications inserted in a supplement to the London Gazette, of the 19th instant, announcing the intended establishment on the 21st March of a blockade of the Island of Crete by the combined British, Austro-Hungarian, French, German, Italian, and Russian forces.

I request that you will have the goodness to transmit copies of these notifications to your Government, in order that they may, through that channel, become known to the citizens of the United States.

I have the honor, etc.,

F. H. Villiers

.
(In the absence of the Marquis of Salisbury.)

[Subinclosure in No. 887.—From Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday, March 19, 1897.]

Foreign Office , March 19, 1897 .

It is hereby notified that the Marquess of Salisbury, K. G., Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, has received a telegraphic dispatch from Rear-Admiral Harris, commanding Her Majesty’s naval forces in Cretan waters, addressed to the lords commissioners of the admiralty, and dated the 18th of March, announcing that the admirals in command of the British, Austro-Hungarian, French, German, Italian, and Russian naval forces have decided to put the Island of Crete in a state of blockade, commencing 21st of March, 8 a.m.

The blockade will be general for all ships under the Greek flag.

Ships of the six powers or neutral powers may enter into the ports occupied by the powers and land their merchandise, but only if it is not for the Greek troops or the interior of the island. These ships may be visited by the ships of the international fleets.

The limits of the blockade are comprized between 23° 24′ and 26° 30′ longitude east of Greenwich, and 35° 48′ and 34° 45′ north latitude.