File No. 199.1/134
[Enclosure—Extract]
memorandum
1. Neutral governments were reminded in a circular at the beginning
of the war of the right which His Majesty’s Government possess,
under treaty, to stop all telegrams over cables which they control;
and that it is only as an act of goodwill that their transmission is
permitted.
2. Notice was given through the International Bureau at Berne, in the
form prescribed, as follows:
His Britannic Majesty’s Government find themselves under the
necessity of availing themselves of the power reserved under
Article 8 of the international telegraph convention and
Article 17 of the international radiotelegraph convention to
suspend the transmission of telegrams and radiotelegrams to
and from, or in transit through the United Kingdom, and to
and from, or in transit through all British possessions and
all British protectorates whatsoever, save and except such
telegrams and radiotelegrams as are on the service of His
Majesty’s Government or of the government of any British
possession or protectorate.
With a view, however, to minimize inconvenience to the
public, His Britannic Majesty’s Government will, until
further notice, and as an act of grace, permit the
transmission of such telegrams and radiotelegrams in plain
language as foreign governments or the public choose to
send, provided that such telegrams and radiotelegrams are
written in English or French, and on the understanding that
they are accepted at the sender’s risk and subject to
censorship by the British authorities; that is, that they
may be stopped, delayed or otherwise dealt with in all
respects at the discretion of those authorities and without
notice to the senders; and that no claims in respect of
them, whether for the reimbursement of the sums paid for
transmission or otherwise, will be considered by His
Majesty’s Government in any circumstances whatever...
Article 8 of the international telegraphic convention (of 1875) is as
follows:
Each Government also reserves to itself the power to
interrupt the system of the international telegraphs for an
indefinite period, if it judges
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it necessary, either generally, or
only upon certain lines and for certain kinds of messages,
upon condition that it immediately advises each of the other
contracting governments.
Articles 17 of the International radiotelegraphic convention makes
the above article applicable to radiotelegraphy....
