Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1915, Supplement, The World War

File No. 763.72112/949a

Public announcement by the British Embassy, March 8, 1915

March 8, 1915

As already announced, there is no question of confiscating cotton cargoes that may come within the scope of order in council to be issued.

The following arrangement has been come to in London as to cotton consigned to neutral ports only:

1. All cotton for which contracts of sale and freight engagements had already been made before March 2¹ to be allowed free (or bought at contract price if stopped), provided ship sail not later than March 31.

2. Similar treatment to be accorded to all cotton insured before March 2, provided it is put on board not later than March 16.

3. All shipments of cotton claiming above protection to be declared before sailing and documents produced to and certificates obtained from consular officers or other authority fixed by Government.²

Ships or cargoes consigned to enemy ports will not be allowed to proceed.

1. On March 17 the British Embassy announced that this requirement had been changed to allow for either contracts of sale or freight engagements (File No. 763.72112/850).
2. On March 15 the Embassy communicated to the Department of State certain rulings as to the construction of this statement, which provided for participation in its benefits by ships which had sailed before the conditions could be complied with (File No. 763.72112/850).