File No. 763.72/419
The British Embassy to the Secretary of State
Memorandum
The British Embassy presents its compliments to the Department of State, and with reference to its memorandum of August 11 on the subject of contact mines in the North Sea has the honour to communicate the following telegram received from His Majesty’s Government:
German action and the measures it may entail are a source of grave danger to shipping. British Admiralty will, however, from time to time and subject to naval exigencies, try to indicate certain routes and channels for trade to pass to the Scheldt, and they do not wish in any degree to keep trade away from the English Channel.
Difficulties in the way of a guarantee for the Rhine, which is nearer to the center of war, are at present insuperable.
[Received August 15.]