File No. 841.711/152
The Minister in, the Netherlands ( Van Dyke ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 29, 8.30 a. m.]
463. Entire mail from the United States to the Netherlands was taken from Dutch vessel Nieuw Amsterdam by the British Admiralty at Falmouth, December 23, and is still held in England. Diplomatic and consular communications from Washington must have been included in this unlawful seizure. Dutch vessel Noorderdijk arriving Rotterdam December 20, not touching at Falmouth, was deprived of American mail at the Downs. It is still detained in England. [Page 740] I am convinced that a prompt peremptory protest to the British Government is necessary to prevent recurrence of this act of violence and to protect the dignity of the United States. If the protest is disregarded, I believe reprisals should be made. Referring to my despatch of December 28, 1914, No. 182.1
- Not printed.↩