File No. 763.72112/128
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
American Embassy,
London,
September 2, 1914.
[Received September 15.]
No. 428]
Sir: In confirmation of my telegram of the 1st
instant, No. 547, I have the honor to transmit herewith enclosed a copy
of the Foreign Office note, dated the 31st ultimo, upon which the same
was based, together with the order in council referred to therein.2
I have [etc.]
[Page 224]
[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign,
Affairs (Grey) to the
American Ambassador (
Page)
No. 43613/14]
Foreign Office,
August 31, 1914.
Your Excellency: Under date of the 26th
instant you were so good as to address to me a note stating that
information had reached your excellency from the Secretary of State
at Washington to the effect that the. German and Austro-Hungarian
Governments would adhere to the rules of the Declaration of London
during the present hostilities provided that other belligerents did
not disregard its provisions.
Your excellency is aware that His Majesty’s Government have decided
to observe the rules of the declaration in question subject to
certain additions and modifications specified in the order in
council of the 20th instant. It consequently becomes a matter of
uncertainty what the attitude of the German and Austro-Hungarian
Governments will be.
I shall be grateful if your excellency will be so good as to
communicate to me any further information on the subject which may
reach your Government and I would ask that further inquiry might in
the meanwhile be made by your excellency as to whether the two
Governments in question have not specified the articles which they
intend to treat as contraband of war.
I have [etc.]
For the Secretary of State:
Ralph Paget
