File No. 763.72/640
The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Secretary of State
Memorandum
His Majesty’s Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State and has the honour to communicate to him the following telegram received from the Foreign Office yesterday, summarizing the naval position of the war up to date:
The Admiralty wish to draw attention to their previous warning to neutrals of the danger of traversing the North Sea. The Germans are continuing their practice of laying mines indiscriminately upon the ordinary trade routes These mines do not conform to the conditions of the Hague convention; they do not become harmless after a certain number of hours; they are not laid in connection with any definite military scheme such as the closing of a military port or as a distinct operation against a fighting fleet, but appear to be scattered on the chance of catching individual British war or merchant vessels. In consequence of this policy neutral ships, no matter what their destination are exposed to the gravest dangers. Two Danish vessels, the S. S. Maryland and the S. S. Broberg , have within the last twenty-four hours been destroyed by these deadly engines in the North Sea while travelling on the [Page 459] ordinary trade routes at a considerable distance from the British coast. In addition to this, it is reported that two Dutch steamers clearing from Swedish ports were yesterday blown up by German mines in the Baltic. In these circumstances the Admiralty desire to impress not only on British but on neutral shipping the vital importance of touching at British ports before entering the North Sea, in order to ascertain according to the latest information the routes and channels which the Admiralty are keeping swept and along which these dangers to neutrals and merchantmen are reduced as far as possible. The Admiralty, while reserving to themselves the utmost liberty of retaliatory action against this new form of warfare, announce that they have not so far laid any mines during the present war and that they are endeavouring to keep the sea routes open for peaceful commerce.
[Received August 24.]