File No. 300.115/2201
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
American Embassy,
London,
January 8, 1915.
[Received January 23.]
No. 730]
Sir: Referring to the telegraphic
instructions of the Department. No 825 of December 24 last,1 with regard to the seizure and detention of
the steamships
Ellen
,
Tellus
, and
Sandefjord
by the British authorities, I have the honor to enclose
herewith to the Department a copy of my note to the Foreign Office
in the premises,2 and
a copy of Sir Edward Grey’s
reply thereto.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Grey) to
the American Ambassador (Page)
No. 88581/14]
Foreign Office,
January 5,
1915.
Your Excellency: I have the honour to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of the 30th
ultimo on the subject of the
detention by His Majesty’s naval authorities of the steamships
Ellen
,
Tellus
, and
Sandefjord
at the ports of Newport, Gibraltar, and Halifax
respectively during the month of December.
As regards the
S. S. Ellen
which was on her way to Scandinavian ports, I have
the honour to point out to your excellency that part of her
cargo consisted of large quantities of contraband in the form of
aluminium and lubricating oil. His Majesty’s Government are
satisfied that these supplies were destined for enemy countries
and as aluminium was not in all forms on the prohibited exports
list of the Norwegian Government there is little doubt but that
it could have reached its destination. The vessel was allowed to
proceed after discharging the said cargoes which were placed in
the prize court.
The S. S. Tellus
was detained at Gibraltar for examination and found
to be carrying large cargoes of contraband such as aluminium,
copper, rubber etc., destined for neutral countries. In view of
the receipt from those countries of satisfactory assurances
respecting these cargoes they were subsequently allowed to
proceed together with the vessel, a small consignment of rubber
goods only being placed in the prize court.
With regard to the S. S. Sandefjord
I have the honour to point out to your excellency
that she was suspected of carrying contraband and was
consequently taken into Halifax for a thorough examination of
her cargo, of which a large portion was deficient in
identification marks. The examination, which was fully justified
by the event, showed that her cargo included a consignment of
rubber concealed under a false manifest as “gum” and another of
hog’s casings which are believed to have been destined for the
enemy. Despite the fact that this vessel carried false papers
she was allowed to proceed.
In conclusion I have the honour to state that the vessels in
question were in no case detained longer than was necessary in
order to enable the competent authorities to satisfy themselves
with regard to the nature of the cargo on board.
I have [etc.]
[File copy not signed]
