Office of the Historian

File No. 763.72111W74/5

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State

American Embassy,
London, August 17, 1914, 2 p.m.
[Received 10:15 p.m.]

[Telegram]

387. The following has been delivered to me for transmission by the Liberian Minister here:

We understand that the United States Government proclaimed Liberian neutrality 30th of August [sic].1 France now demands that the German cable company in Monrovia, Liberia, be closed. In case of refusal France will consider neutrality violated. France cites to support her demands Articles 3, 5, and 25 of the Hague convention of 1907, No. V. Liberian Government contends that Articles 8 and 9 of the same convention nullify the demands. French and German cable companies are in operation. Represent this to the American Ambassador, London. Great urgency.

President Howard Of Liberian Republic
American Ambassador
  1. See telegram of August 21, 1914, from the Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain, post, p. 714.↩