File No. 300.115/755a
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in the Netherlands (Van Dyke)
Washington, October 9, 1914.
[Telegram]
33. Department has received information from several sources that the Holland-America Steamship Line announces that it will not accept cargo for Dutch ports unless consigned to Netherlands Government with previous permission of Netherlands Government to ship. Consul General, London, 7th instant,2 cabled that shipment of oil cake on steamers Rotterdam and Potsdam detained by British [Page 388] Government, would be permitted to go forward and that board of trade rules officially that no steps will be taken to prevent oil cake arriving in Holland. Action of Holland-America Line has blocked shipments to Dutch ports. Advise Department reasons for this action by steamship line and whether same is based upon some action of Netherlands Government.
Spencer Kellogg and Sons, Buffalo, have consignments of oil cake for shipment on steamer Ryndam sailing 13th and ask assistance to [sic] their agent, Goossens Van Rossem, Rotterdam, in securing permission to ship.
Department has been informed through British Embassy that British Government intend to revise their proclamation with regard to, contraband and that meanwhile goods such as foodstuffs in neutral ships consigned to Holland, in respect of which the Netherlands Government have placed an embargo on exportation, will not be treated as contraband or detained on that ground.1 Furnish Department at once all information you have respecting embargo by Netherlands Government against reexportation of goods. Repeat to Rotterdam for like action.