Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1901

promemoria.

Imperial German Embassy,
Washington, December 20, 1901.

In case the German Government should be obliged to use coercion against Venezuela in connection with the pending claims, it will have to be considered what kind of measures should be applied.

The most important measure of coercion—that is, the blockade of Venezuelan harbors—would have to be carried through without a declaration of war preceding it. The blockade would therefore be a peace blockade. Such a blockade would touch likewise the ships of neutral powers, inasmuch as such ships, although a confiscation of them would not have to be considered, would have to be turned away and prohibited until the blockade should be raised. In the same manner European States have proceeded on such occasions, especially England and France.