Office of the Historian

File No. 763.72/1655

The Commercial Adviser of the British Embassy (Crawford) to the Foreign Trade Adviser of the Department of State (Rose)

Washington, March 20, 1915.

Dear Mr. Rose : With reference to your enquiries1 as to action under the order in council, I may acquaint you that the Foreign Office advise us that the problems which arise with regard to shipments from enemy countries to the United States on neutral vessels are exceedingly complex and it would be difficult for them to deal with same by binding themselves to hard fast rules.

Each case will have to be dealt with on its merits. But American traders may rest assured that in cases of shipments on bona fide [Page 209] contracts made before March 1, goods, if owned by neutrals, will be dealt with as leniently as the order in council will allow.

Yours faithfully,

R. F. Crawford
  1. These were made orally. See the Foreign Trade Adviser’s report of May 21, post, p. 216.↩