File No. 300.115/1880
The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ( Grey ) to the British Ambassador at Rome ( Rodd )
[Left at the Department of State by the British Ambassador, November 7, 1914.]
[Telegram]
Copper-laden vessels at Gibraltar.
Copper is being discharged from all, and vessels will be released shortly, except British S. S. Ascot .
In the case of the Regina d’Italia, 21,000 bars consigned to Italian Commercial Bank, Genoa, are below other cargo and difficult to discharge.
Endeavour to induce Italian Government to prevent export of this lot, if vessel is allowed to proceed. Large consignments of copper are being made to this bank by German agent in Amsterdam via New York. Some of those on the Ascot were addressed to Danzig.
It is absolutely essential that no copper should get through to Germany and to prevent friction with Italian Government His Majesty’s Government might be willing to negotiate purchase of all bank’s consignments on the Regina d’Italia, delivery to be given in Genoa. Any copper found documented to Government account will of course be released as soon as possible.