File No. 763.72111/1164
The Minister in Portugal (Birch) to the Secretary of State
Lisbon, November 24, 1914.
[Received December 15.]
No. 55]
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 54,1 dated yesterday, regarding the attitude of the Portuguese Government and people toward the proposed declaration of war, I have now the honor to state by way of further confirmation of my telegram to-day that the Portuguese Senate and House of Deputies yesterday unanimously approved a resolution “authorizing the President to intervene militarily in the present international armed conflict whenever and in the manner he may judge necessary to our high interests and duties as a free nation and an ally of England, adopting for this purpose the extraordinary measures which the circumstances of the moment demand.”
After the adoption of the above resolution the president of the Ministry, Bernardino Machado, read the following address explaining the reasons for its adoption:
At the beginning of the war Portugal spontaneously declared that she was quite prepared as the ally of Great Britain to give every assistance.
The British Government highly appreciated this evidence of solidarity and friendship and have willingly invited the Portuguese Government to give effect to their offer of assistance. By this cooperation the two Governments will secure the objects of the alliance which has so long existed between their two countries and which it is the joint interest of both countries to maintain.
While the resolution will give the Portuguese Government the advantage in an argumentative attitude which it probably intends to assume, that it has not declared war, it is nevertheless my opinion that it will secretly, if not openly, espouse the cause of Great Britain by giving such aid as lies within its power, such as the furnishing of munitions of war, etc., as detailed in my despatch alluded to above. By assuming this attitude Portugal doubtless hopes to enjoy all the privileges of trade and intercourse that legitimately under the rules of war belong to neutral nations.
The Portuguese Government by the adoption of the above resolution believes that it has satisfactorily fulfilled its treaty obligations to Great Britain and thereby, also, gained the good will of the entire group of Allied powers; [is] convinced that in the event of victory against the German armies, Portugal as a nation will then stand on a firmer foundation both at home and abroad; that the friendship of Great Britain and France will serve as a guaranty against encroachments on her home territory by Spain; and that she will feel secure and free from molestation in the future occupation and development of her African colonial possessions.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩