File No. 300.115/2627
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page)
1296. American Minister, Stockholm, telegraphs:
His Britannic Majesty’s Legation has the honor to inform the Royal Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs that the American S. S. Wico has arrived in the United Kingdom with a full cargo of oil for Krooks Petroleum and Oil Company, Stockholm. In view of the recent seizure by German men-of-war off Falsterbo of the S. S. Bryssel and her cargo of oil His Majesty’s Government require to have complete assurances that this vessel will not share the same fate before they can allow her to proceed to destination. His Britannic Majesty’s Legation would therefore be much obliged to be furnished with such assurances for immediate communicatiou to the Foreign Office.
Inquire British Government if vessel is held for reasons stated above, and say that, if so, this Government considers she should be released at once inasmuch as it, of course, cannot admit right of British authorities to detain the vessel without any evidence indicating an illegal destination of her cargo and, pending a response to a requirement made of a neutral country, with which such country evidently is not in a position to comply, that assurances be given that the vessel, while proceeding on her journey, will not be detained by authorities of another belligerent.