Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1914, Supplement, The World War

File No. 195.1/107

The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Counselor for the Department of State

British Embassy,
Washington, October 6, 1914.
[Received October 7.]

Dear Mr. Counsellor: I quite agree with you that my unofficial letter to you of the 26th ultimo relative to transfer of flags is open to misconstruction.

There can of course be no question of demanding a written guarantee of this nature from American owners.

I presume the consul’s official action only takes place where the original flag was British and the registry has to be changed. Where the original flag was that of an enemy I presume his official intervention is not called for. He can however state, if his opinion is requested, that the transfer of an American-owned ship to the American flag is prima facie a bona fide transfer and would probably be regarded as valid by a prize court unless other circumstances arise of a suspicious character.

I am [etc.]

Cecil Spring Rice