File No. 12655/315.
The British Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Washington, March 25, 1909.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the naval conference closed its proceedings on the 26th ultimo. It was able to arrive at a unanimous conclusion on most of the subjects of its program, and has elaborated a declaration dealing comprehensively with a large number of the most important questions of international law in the domain of naval warfare. It is for His Majesty’s Government a matter of sincere gratification that so large a measure of agreement has been attained. They recognize that this is largely due to the existence of a very real community of ideas and conceptions of law, which, although to some extent obscured hitherto by an undue prominence given to conflicting doctrines and practices on certain points, does, in fact, dominate the international relations of the civilized world. They are conscious, however, that it required the good will and loyal cooperation of the powers most directly concerned to give practical expression to such community of principles and to waive minor points of difference, in the interest of a general settlement, on the basis of rules uniformly accepted and applied.
His Majesty’s Government acknowledge with genuine satisfaction and gratitude the conciliatory and helpful disposition displayed by the delegates of all the powers represented at the naval conference, and the spirit of mutual concession which alone made possible the successful issue of its labors, and I have the honor, under instructions from my Government, to convey to the Government [Page 315] of the United States the expression of their warm appreciation of this desire to unite in furthering the common object for which the conference was assembled.
I have, etc.,