File No. 763.72112/180
The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Counselor for the Department of State
Washington, October 12, 1914.
My dear Mr. Counsellor: I notice in Sir E. Grey’s telegram respecting the Declaration of London, the text of which I communicated to you last night, a statement to the effect that the United States Government had made certain proposals as to unconditional contraband.
This statement of course as it stands is misleading and I have pointed out to Sir E. Grey at once by telegram that (as I had already explained by letter), no proposals were made by your Government as to articles to be placed on the lists of contraband.
As you recollect, in the course of an informal conversation which I had with you at the Embassy on the night of the 28th September we discussed the subject of the Declaration of London, and among other points as to the powers conferred under Article 23. As instances of articles “exclusively used for war” I named by way of illustration certain articles which, as recent experience had proved, came under this description, for instance motor oil, wire fencing and motors.
You stated at the time that you could not speak for the Government but that some such suggestion seemed worthy of consideration as it might offer a convenient means for getting rid of the order in council which was the main object in view during our informal discussion.
I am [etc.]