File No. 882.00/547
The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State
Washington, December 1, 1916.
Sir: I duly forwarded to His Majesty’s Government a copy of your note No. 1298 of the 26th, of August last, with regard to the reported landing of arms and ammunition at Bettu from the British [Page 458] steamer Prahsu in February, 1916, for the use of the native tribes then in revolt against the Liberian Government. I am informed that His Majesty’s Government, who have caused the matter to be carefully investigated, have learned that on the outward journey nothing was landed from the Prahsu at Cess Town, which is near Bettu, except some native passengers from Sierra Leone, who left the ship under the supervision of a Liberian Customs Official after the vessel had been properly cleared.
The manifest of the Prahsu shows that no cargo was consigned to Liberian ports on the voyage in question although the vessel called at Sinoe and Cess Town. She carried, however, large consignments of ordnance stores for the Sierra Leone Government, which may have given rise to the statement that she had a cargo of arms and ammunition on board.
The exportation of arms and ammunition from Sierra Leone has, as a matter of fact, been prohibited since the outbreak of the war and the Governor of that Colony has no reason to believe that the prohibition has been evaded.
I have the honor [etc.]