File No. 811.142/295

The Secretary of State to whom it may concern

To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:

I certify that the steamship Hamburg of the Hamburg-American Packet Company has been chartered at the nominal charge of one dollar by the American Red Cross Society and is commanded by retired naval officers of the United States of America and manned by a crew of civilian Americans and neutrals,1 for the purpose of carrying surgeons, nurses, and hospital supplies to the battle fields of the countries unhappily involved in the present conflict in Europe; that this vessel has by the joint resolution of the Congress of the United States, approved August 20, 1914, been authorized to carry the American flag; and that while engaged in this employment the name of the vessel shall be changed to the Red Cross and the vessel will fly the flag of the Red Cross in addition to the American flag.

I certify further that the Ambassadors of His Britannic Majesty’s Government and of the Government of the French Republic, respectively, in Washington, on behalf of their Governments, have given assurances to the Government of the United States of America that the vessel Red Cross shall not be hindered or molested in its voyage on the seas or during its stay in the ports of their countries while engaged in this neutral and benevolent service for the relief of those suffering from the horrors of war.

In testimony whereof I, Robert Lansing, Acting Secretary of State, have hereunto subscribed my name and caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed at the City of Washington, this eleventh day of September, 1914.

[SEAL]

Robert Lansing
  1. The sailing of the ship was deferred from the 8th to the 12th of September, due to representations made by the British Consul General at New York to the effect that a number of German members of the crew would be subject to arrest and detention upon entering British or French ports. A new crew had then to be shipped.