The Acting Secretary of State to the British Ambassador ( Spring Rice )
Washington , November 2, 1914.
Excellency: With reference to your note of the 31st ultimo regarding the Italian S. S. Amistà , which is reported to have cleared from Newport News on the 17th ultimo for Montevideo via the Barbados, where you state she appears not to have arrived, I have the honor to advise you that steps have been taken to make a further investigation of this case with a view to determining any other facts in regard to the bona fides of the destination of this vessel. The Department will also undertake to ascertain, if possible, whether the consignee of the cargo of the Amistà expected such shipments to arrive.
You further state that the systematic way in which neutral vessels have left American ports in order to supply German cruisers and have been allowed to operate freely in the ports of the United States in spite of the warnings which have been given, is a matter which causes grave anxiety to His Britannic Majesty’s Government, and you request under instructions from your Government that such measures as are possible may be taken to prevent the use of the ports of the United States for this unneutral purpose.
In reply I have the honor to state that so far as I am advised every suspicious case of vessels leaving American ports to supply German cruisers which has been brought to the attention of the Government of the United States, with any basis of fact to support such suspicion, has been thoroughly investigated by the authorities of the United States with a view to determining in every possible way whether the transaction was bona fide, or such as might be interfered with this Government for the preservation of the neutrality of the United States. Further than this the Government of the United States does not understand that its duty in these matters requires it to go, for otherwise the war would impose upon the United States the burden of enforcing restrictions which are not, in the opinion of this Government, prescribed by the rules of international law. The Government of the United States, therefore, feels obliged to decline to accept any suggestion intimating that its vigilance in the maintenance of its neutral duties under international law has been relaxed so as to allow vessels engaged in violations of such duties to “operate freely in the ports of the United States.”
I have [etc.]