File No. 763.72111/156
The British Ambassador ( Spring Rice ) to the Secretary of State
memorandum
The British Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State of the United States and, with reference to his note No. 302 of September 4, has the honour to state that he is informed by the British Consul General that the steamship Adriatic, which sailed from New York on September 3 with four guns mounted and 200 rounds of ammunition, took 28 first-class passengers, 43 second, and 89 third. She also took 637 bags of mail and a general cargo of provisions and manufactured goods. She had no war material on board and no army reservists.
These data bear out the assurances that the Adriatic is bound on a peaceful commercial voyage and that her armament is destined solely for defensive purposes.
[Received September 10.]