File No. 763.72112/1105
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
No. 1312]
London,
April 30, 1915.
[Received May 11.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith
for information of the Department, a copy of a memorandum which I
left with Sir Edward Grey
[Page 390]
on the afternoon of April
28 after an interview with him in relation to the detention of
American ships and cargoes by His Majesty’s authorities.
In view of the repeated assurances made by Sir Edward Grey in my various
conversations with him, and particularly with reference to the
statement contained in his note of February 10, that notification of
detention of American ships and cargoes was being promptly made to
the Embassy by the Foreign Office, I have regretted to notice during
the past month that on some occasions I have not been informed in
regard to these matters with the utmost promptitude, as was
promised.
I therefore thought it my duty to bring this matter again to
Sir Edward Grey’s
attention, as this question assumes greater proportions on account
of the number of ships and cargoes which are bound for different
foreign ports from the United States, and are being detained for
investigation to be made by the British Government.
I feel very sure that Sir Edward
Grey and the other officials of the Foreign Office
have desired, since the commencement of this serious condition of
affairs in regard to American shipping, to act with promptness, and
wish to give the Embassy all information in their possession. I am
informed that all these matters in regard to detention of vessels
and cargoes are decided by a committee comprised of representatives
of the Admiralty, Foreign Office, War Office and Board of Trade, and
on account of the enormous mass of cases upon which their decision
is necessary, they are unable to act with the dispatch which is
necessary for the proper conduct of official business. I therefore
feel it is only by repeated representations, informally and under
instructions from the Department, that the importance of this matter
to the Government of the United States may be brought to the
attention of the British Government.
In my conference with Sir Edward
Grey he informed me that he would immediately inquire
into the matters contained in my memorandum and would do all in his
power to comply with the request set forth therein.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The American Ambassador (Page) to the British
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Grey)
Memorandum
Referring to the several conversations which Mr.
Page has had the honor of having with
Sir Edward Grey,
relative to the detention of American ships and cargoes by the
authorities of His Majesty’s Government, and particularly to the
assurances which Sir Edward
Grey was so good as to give to the effect that
notice of the detention of ships and cargoes, and the reason for
such detention, would be communicated to the American Embassy
with the least possible delay, it is desired to call attention
to several matters which have occurred in this connection.
Mr. Page is exceedingly grateful to
Sir Edward Grey for
his courtesy in advising him as to the detention of ships and
cargoes, but feels he must state that on several occasions he
has received information from private persons regarding cargoes
on certain vessels which have been detained by His Majesty’s
authorities, or from the shippers or owners of such cargoes, of
which no notice had been received by the Embassy from the
Foreign Office.
The most recent case of this description is that of the S. S. America, which has on board certain
consignments of alundum belonging to the Norton Company of
Worcester, Massachusetts, in regard to the seizure and detention
of
[Page 391]
which no
information has been received up to the present time. It is also
understood that three ships, namely the
Livonia
,
Marie
, and Dicido, carrying cotton
from the United States, have been detained, but as yet the
Embassy has received no information from His Majesty’s
authorities.
It is hoped that it will be found possible to cause information
concerning the detention of any American vessel or cargo to be
supplied to the Embassy at the earliest possible moment, in
order that the shippers may be in a position to clear up any
misunderstanding which may exist in the minds of His Majesty’s
Government.
It is also urgently requested that the Embassy may be informed as
to the release of any vessels or cargoes which have been
detained, for there is no absolutely sure and prompt means of
obtaining such information except through official channels, as
vessels are sometimes discharged at ports at which there is no
American consul, and the masters of the vessels seldom inform
the Embassy or consulate general that they have been permitted
to proceed to their destination.
The Embassy is constantly asked by the Government in Washington,
and by the owners and shippers, as to the position and status of
vessels and cargoes, and it is impossible to make correct
replies unless they are based on notification through His
Majesty’s Foreign Office.
The attention of Sir Edward
Grey is further invited to a matter which has
caused the Embassy certain embarrassment. On March 2 the Foreign
Office notified the Embassy that the American S. S. A. A. Raven had been detained in the
Downs, and that she would not be allowed to proceed until the
conditional contraband on board had been reconsigned to the
Netherlands Oversea Trust, and on March 31 a note was received
by the Embassy in which it was stated that the cargo on this
vessel had been placed in the prize court, except the goods
consigned to four persons in Holland, on the ground that it was
contraband and believed to be destined for Germany. On the 1st
or 2d of April the Embassy was unofficially informed that orders
had been given for the A. A. Raven to
proceed to her destination, and that she had cleared from the
Downs. Up to the present moment no information has been received
from His Majesty’s Foreign Office in regard to the release of
this vessel, and from the last official communication on the
subject it would appear that her cargo is still in the prize
court.
Mr. Page desires to impress upon Sir Edward Grey that the
foregoing facts are presented to him for his consideration in
the most informal manner, in order that an understanding may be
established for the purpose of facilitating the work both of His
Majesty’s Foreign Office and of the Embassy.
The question of the detention of American ships and cargoes is
one of the utmost importance at the present moment to the
Government of the United States, and, in view of this fact, the
Embassy is endeavoring to the best of its ability to answer all
inquiries which are addressed to it, and to report immediately
upon all matters which come before it, in order that the
Department of State may have at hand all available information
in this respect.
While again expressing to Sir Edward
Grey his great appreciation of his interest and
attention to this matter, Mr. Page ventures
to hope that the request which has been set forth in this
memorandum may receive the earnest and favorable consideration
of His Majesty’s authorities.
