File No. 763.72112/1181
The Italian Embassy to the Department of State
The Royal Italian Embassy has the honor to inform the Department of State that, in view of the state of war now existing in Italy, a list of contraband of war is being prepared by the Royal Italian Government.
This list will include goods not enumerated in the list of contraband of war contained in Article 15 of the treaty of commerce and navigation between Italy and the United States of 1871. Such inclusion has been deemed necessary to comply with the methods and exigencies of modern warfare. On the other hand, by signing the Declaration of London and the contraband list attached thereto, the United States Government have also implicitly admitted the list of 1871 to be obsolete.
The Royal Italian Embassy has been instructed to point out that, even if the Italian Government were to adhere to the list of 1871, such course would practically be of no effect, since England and France have published lists comprising numerous goods not included in the list attached to the Declaration of London. Italy would therefore be justified in issuing a list similar to those issued by England and France. However, desiring to follow a scrupulously correct course, the Royal Italian Government have instructed this Embassy to submit the above considerations to the United States Government in order to obtain their previous consent to the issuing of a list more extensive than the one contained in the aforesaid treaty of 1871.
The Royal Italian Embassy is confident that the United States Government will concur in the views expressed by the Royal Italian Government and will be greatly obliged by the favor of an early reply.