File No. 711.5121/1
[Untitled]
Washington, April 12, 1916.
Excellency: Referring to your excellency’s note of February 14, 1916, in regard to the so-called Seamen’s Law of March 4, 1915, and to the Department’s note of acknowledgment thereof under date of March 7, I have the honor to make further reply regarding the matters referred to in these communications.
[Page 41]I am very glad to observe that, as stated in your note, your Government is willing to acquiesce in the abrogation by an exchange of notes of certain treaty stipulations between this Government and France which are in conflict with the Act, namely Article 6 of the Treaty of June 24, 1822, and Articles 8 and 9 of the Treaty of February 23, 1853. With reference to the statement in your note to the effect that, in order to forestall any future erroneous interpretation, the French Government would like to be given previous knowledge of the draft of the note which would be addressed to it on the subject, I may say that it would be satisfactory to this Government if your Government, in acknowledgment of the note addressed by the American Ambassador at Paris to the French Government regarding the termination of the treaty provisions in question, should express its acquiescence in this Government’s proposal that these treaty stipulations be terminated.
On the other hand, should your Government desire that there be a further exchange of communications in the matter, the Department will, according to your Government’s preference as to the course of procedure to be followed, either address an appropriate note to you, or direct the American Ambassador at Paris to address such a communication to the Government of France. * * *
Accept [etc.]