The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page )2
Washington , August 11, 1914, 7 p.m.
[Telegram]
The Department has under consideration the question of communication by wireless and cable between the belligerent governments and their embassies here. It submits for the consideration of the British Government the following alternatives:
- (1)
- All the belligerents may send and receive wireless messages in code or cipher via Sayville and Tuckerton. The American censors at those stations to receive codes and ciphers used in order to be able to see that the neutrality of the United States is not violated. Ciphers and codes to remain known only to the censors and the United States Government, also the contents of the messages sent; or
- (2)
- Germany may use the English or French cables. The telegrams of all the belligerents submitted to the censor as stated before.
This is not a proposal, but merely a proposition under consideration upon which the United States Government reserves decision. This Government will also be pleased to consider any proposals made by the British Government in this connection, provided the strict neutrality of the United States is secured. An immediate answer is requested.
- The same, mutatis mutandis, to the Ambassador in France.↩