File No. 763.72111/2014

The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Secretary: I have at once notified my Government and the Admiral in command of the contents of your letter of April 16 as to the information which had reached you that the Suffolk had communicated with the shore off Cape Henry.

In connection with this question and for purposes of record I should be very glad if you could provide me with certain information as to the attitude of the United States Government on somewhat similar occasions.

I venture to ask that I may be informed, should there be no objection, as to what action was taken, if any, in the case of the Leipzig’s and Nürnberg’s communication with the shore, off San Francisco which was brought to your attention by this Embassy in my note of September 5 last.1

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It would also be of interest to my Government to be informed as to what view was taken by the United States Government as to the action of the captain of the United States ship Iroquois in 1861 when he reported to the Secretary of the Bavy in his letters of November 17, November 23, and November 25, 1861, that he had made arrangements to be informed of the movements of the Sumter in the port of Martinique.

I am [etc.]

Cecil Spring Rice