File No. 841.857 T53/112A.
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador .
Washington , December 12, 1912 .
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: In recognition of the services rendered by Captain Rostron of the steamship Carpathia in saving so many of the passengers and crew of the Titanic, Congress, as you are aware, at its last session provided by Joint Resolution as follows:
That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and requested to cause to be made and presented to Captain Rostron a suitable gold medal appropriately inscribed, which shall express the high estimation in which Congress holds the services of this officer, to whose promptness and vigilance was due the rescue of three hundred and seventy-four women and children and three hundred and thirty men.
The President has asked me to say to you that he has determined to present this medal to Captain Rostron and has selected Saturday the first of March at three p.m. as the date on which he will make [Page 497] the presentation. I beg that you will bring the President’s determination in this matter to the knowledge of Captain Rostron, asking him to make his arrangements to be in Washington at the time above indicated.
I am [etc.]