The Secretary of State to the French Ambassador (Jusserand)
No. 1388]
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 21st instant, stating that your Government has been informed that in the early part of August last the American steamer Riopasig cleared from Manila for Guam, a neutral port, with a cargo of 4,000 tons of coal, and that it has since been reported that the ship merely called at Guam without landing the coal and is supposed to have steered southward, presumably to resupply German war vessels.
It is added that, “such acts being contrary to the rules of neutrality and likely eventually to entail serious consequences for the vessel concerned,” your Government has instructed you to bring the foregoing information, as it has been received, to the attention of this Department.
[Page 622]In reply I have the honor to say that this Department’s information is that the Riopasig cleared (date unknown) from Manila for Guam, and, probably, thence to Yap, one of the Caroline Islands and that the vessel was seized while approaching Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, and is now held as a prize of war at Sandakan, British North Borneo.
The Department regrets that, on the facts known to it, it cannot agree with your excellency’s statement that this case constitutes a breach of the rules of neutrality.
Accept [etc.]