The Secretary of State to the President of the Galveston Cotton Exchange (L. H. Kempner)
Washington, December 22, 1914.
[Telegram]
Your telegram December 21. For reasons which should present themselves to you, Department cannot enter into any arrangement with British Government or Embassy here by which British Consuls or their representatives shall witness and visé cargoes of vessels loading from this country to neutral countries. Matter is one of private arrangement to be entered into, if at all, by shipper who may desire to expedite the uninterrupted voyage of his shipment to neutral countries, and therefore to be taken up by shippers with British officials. You may deem it advisable to communicate direct with British Ambassador in this city, who, Department presumes, would facilitate matters along the lines suggested in your telegram.