Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1914, Supplement, The World War

File No. 763.72/1219

The Ambassador in Turkey ( Morgenthau ) to the Secretary of State ²

American Embassy,
Constantinople , November 11, 1914.
[Received November 15, 2:15 p.m.]

[Telegram]

16. Ministers of War and Interior to-day reissued [reiterated] to me and requested that British and French Governments be informed that unless Ottoman Government is promptly assured that unfortified seaports will not be bombarded they may hereafter prevent the departure of British and French consuls and subjects, and will either expel all or detain them at some safe place outside of war zone as hostages and probably for retaliation.

American Ambassador

2. Repeated November 16 to the Ambassador in Great Britain (No. 549) and the Ambassador in France (No. 272).