File No. 763.72111/1978
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Spring Rice)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: In further reference to your notes of March 24 and April 5 relative to instructions which have been issued to His Majesty’s officers, impressing them with the duty of strictly observing the neutrality of the United States, I desire to call to your attention that, from information at hand, it appears that the British cruiser Suffolk has, while lying near the gas buoy which marks the entrance to the channel east of Cape Henry, been communicating with a tug or tugs by means of small boats and communicating by radio in code with other vessels. The tugs and other vessels appear to be in communication with the shore or otherwise in a position to carry or transmit information. If the situation, upon examination, proves to be as represented, I have to request that your Government issue suitable instructions to their fleet, so that such reported violations of the neutrality of the United States will be prevented in the future.
I am [etc.]