763.72/2371½
The German Embassy to the
Department of State
J. Nr. A 627
The Imperial German Embassy presents its compliments to the United States
Department of State and has the honor to enclose herewith one wireless
cipher message, in duplicate, to the Foreign Office in Berlin for kind
transmission to the Tuckerton Station.
Duplicate copies of the message in plain English are likewise
enclosed.
Washington,
January 26, 1916.
[Enclosure—Telegram]
The Austro-Hungarian Chargé (Zwiedinek) to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign
Office
Nº 34. With reference to my radiogram Nº 21. For Baron Burian:
Italian liner Verona two 77 mm. guns on stern
arrived New York will be allowed clearance on similar assurance as
for Verdi. Secretary of State informed me
however confidentially that justly measuring gravity of issue for
Central Powers he has approached Allies in order to induce them to
abstain from arming merchantships against promise already given and
counted upon to provide for safety of passengers and crew. Secretary
would welcome it if Central Powers now came forward with declaration
that merchantmen with one or more guns will be treated as auxiliary
cruisers. I understand however that he expects—and Count Bernstorff
as well as I would strongly recommend this—that we postpone
corresponding instructions to submarine commanders for a reasonable
time say one month in order to ascertain if modus
vivendi proposed by Secretary will not be agreed to.
