Office of the Historian

  • Home
  • Historical Documents
    • Foreign Relations of the United States
    • About the Foreign Relations Series
    • Current Status of the Foreign Relations Series
    • History of the Foreign Relations Series
    • Ebooks Initiative
    • Quarterly Releases
  • Department History
    • Overview
    • Administrative Timeline
    • Biographies of the Secretaries of State
    • Principal Officers and Chiefs of Mission
    • Travels of the Secretary of State
    • Travels of the President
    • Visits by Foreign Heads of State
    • World War I and the Department
    • Buildings of the Department of State
    • U.S. Diplomatic Couriers
  • Guide to Countries
    • Guide to Country Recognition and Relations
    • World Wide Diplomatic Archives Index
  • More Resources
    • Browse Resources by Subject Tag
    • Conferences
    • Contact Us
    • Developer Resources & APIs
    • Educational Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Key Milestones
    • Open Government Initiative
    • A Short History of the Department
  • About Us
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1916, Supplement, The World War
  4. Part III: Neutral duties

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1916, Supplement, The World War

Part III: Neutral duties

[Page [699]] [Page [700]] [Page 701]

Contents

    • The entrance into and transit through the United States of active and discharged members of belligerent armed forces (Documents 912–926)
      • The sale of contraband goods–The transfer to another neutral government of warships built in American yards for a belligerent government (Documents 927–935)
        • Treatment of belligerent warships in American ports: the escape of members of their interned crews (Documents 936–946)
          • Treatment of prize ships in American ports–Case of the “Appam” (Documents 947–970)
            • Treatment of belligerent merchant ships which have taken refuge in American ports (Documents 971–975)
              • Treatment of armed merchant ships (Documents 976–996)
                • Hovering of belligerent warships in close proximity to territorial waters (Documents 997–1000)
                  • Treatment of belligerent war and merchant submarines in neutral ports and waters (case of the “Deutschland”): Their operations and beyond territorial waters (Case of the “U–53”) (Documents 1001–1030)

                  Contents

                  • Official positions of principal persons mentioned in the correspondence
                  • List of papers by topics, incoming papers chronologically under date of receipt
                  • List of papers by countries, incoming papers chronologically under date of issue
                  • Preliminary document
                    • Action of the United States with regard to violations of the principles of international law by belligerent (Document 1)
                  • Part I: The continuation and further spread of the war—efforts toward peace
                    • Developments in the Balkan countries—Portugal’s entrance into the war, March 9, 1916—Statements made in belligerent countries regarding the prospects and terms of peace (Documents 2–27)
                    • Spanish proposal for join good offices, May 11, 1916–Efforts in behalf of peace in European neutral countries–Attitude of the belligerent countries toward possible American mediation–Further developments in the Balkan countries (Documents 28–53)
                    • Memoranda of the Ambassador in Great Britain of conversations with British statesmen, July 27–August 1, 1916 (Documents 54–56)
                    • Rejection of the Spanish proposal for joint good offices, August 23, 1916–Roumanians entrance into the war, August 27, 1916–Italy’s declaration of war against Germany, August 28, 1916 (Documents 57–69)
                    • Germany’s request of September 25, 1916, for the good offices of the United States–The October revolution in Greece (Documents 70–91)
                    • Intimation to Germany, November 29, 1916, of the President’s willingness to extend good offices if submarine sinkings and Belgian deportations cease–The contest in Greece (Documents 92–116)
                    • The Central Powers’ invitation of December 12, 1916, to the Allied Powers to discuss peace (Documents 117–135)
                    • The President’s suggestion of December 18, 1916, that the belligerent governments communicate their terms of peace–Lloyd George’s speech of December 19, 1916 (Documents 136–166)
                    • Replies of the Central Powers of December 26, 1916, to the President’s suggestion (Documents 167–177)
                    • Reply of the Allied Powers of December 30, 1916, to the invitation of the Central Powers to discuss peace (Documents 178–186)
                  • Part II: Neutral rights
                    • Neutral rights as affected by the submarine operations of Germany and her allies–The question of armed merchant vessels–The imperiling and destruction of American lives and property–American demands and German pledges–Relations of the United States with Germany and her allies
                      • The continuance of negotiations concerning the “Lusitania” and the “Ancona”—The sinking of the “Persia” (Documents 187–194)
                      • The American proposal of January 18, 1916, of a Modus Vivendi for the observance of rules of international law and principles of humanity by submarines and the discontinuance of armament of merchant ships—Further negotiations concerning the “Lusitania”—The case of the “Petrolite”—Reports of offensive operations by armed merchant ships (Documents 195–221)
                      • German memorandum of February 10, 1916, announcing that armed merchant ships are to be treated as belligerents (Documents 222–231)
                      • The German ambassador’s note of February 16, 1916, on the “Lusitania” and “Arabic” cases; His communication of instructions found on the British armed merchant ship “Appam”—Austrian note of February 22, 1916, on the “Petrolite” incident—Italian note of February 19, 1916, on the Modus Vivendi Proposal (Documents 232–237)
                      • The President’s letter of February 24, 1916, asserting the right of American citizens to travel on armed merchant ships—German memorandum of February 28, 1916, asserting that the pledges of September 1 and October 5, 1915, do not apply to armed ships (Documents 238–248)
                      • Defeat in Congress of the resolution to prevent Americans from traveling on armed merchant ships—The decision of the German government against unlimited submarine warfare—Resolutions in the Reichstag against restrictions (Documents 249–271)
                      • Replies of the Allied governments of March 23, 1916, to the proposal for a Modus Vivendi (Documents 272–275)
                      • The sinking of the “Sussex,” March 24, 1916—Cases of the “Englishman,” “Manchester Engineer”, “Berwindvale”, and “Eagle Point” (Documents 276–301)
                      • The German note of April 10, 1916, on the “Sussex” and other cases (Documents 302–307)
                      • The American note of April 18, 1916, on the “Sussex,” stating that diplomatic relations would be severed unless the current methods of submarine warfare were abandoned—Memorandum published on April 27, 1916, concerning the status of armed merchant ships—Memorandum communicated to Germany on April 28, 1916, regarding the conduct of naval vessels toward enemy and neutral merchant ships (Documents 308–336)
                      • German reply of May 4, 1916, promising to observe the rules of visit and search and to provide for the safety of persons on board destroyed ships—Note of May 7, 1916, acknowledging responsibility in the “Sussex” case—American note of May 8, 1916, accepting the German assurances as unconditional (Documents 337–363)
                      • The American note of June 21, 1916, on the “Petrolite” incident—Austrian replies of July 17 and September 9, 1916—The case of the “Owego” (Documents 364–385)
                      • The renewed struggle in Germany for unrestricted submarine warfare (October 1916) (Documents 386–399)
                      • Representations to Germany (October 30–November 18, 1916) concerning the sinking of the “Rowanmore”, “Marina”, “Arabia”, “Sebek”, “Delto”, “Lanao”, “Columbian”, and “Chemung” (December 2, 1916)—Replies and correspondence on these cases—Reports on political conditions in Germany with reference to submarine policy—Communications of instructions found on a French armed merchant ship (Documents 400–441)
                    • Neutral rights as affected by the blockading measures taken by Great Britain and her allies–Interference with American trade–The black list–Protests and proposals of retaliation
                      • The seizure of the “Kankakee”—The black list of neutral ships (Documents 442–448)
                      • The Trading with the Enemy (Extension of Powers) Act (December 23, 1915)—Reservation of the right to protest against this act as affecting American interests, January 25, 1916—Reports and correspondence on interference with neutral trade (Documents 449–463)
                      • British note of February 16, 1916, in defense of the Trading with the Enemy (Extension of Powers) Act—The first “Statutory List”, February 29, 1916—Representations in the cases of the “Hocking”, “Genesee”, and “Kankakee” (Documents 464–471)
                      • British order in council of March 30, 1916, further modifying the Declaration of London—Protest against this order, April 8, 1916—the “Zamora” decision asserting the prevalence of international law over orders in council (Documents 472–480)
                      • British note of April 24, 1916, in general justification of measures of interference with neutral trade—The abolition of the distinction between absolute and conditional contraband (Documents 481–493)
                      • Protests against the black list of ships (May 19, 1916) and against interference with goods consigned to the Netherlands Oversea Trust (June 15, 1916)—Condemnation of the cargo of the “Joseph W. Fordney” (Documents 494–507)
                      • British order in council and French decree of July 7, 1916, withdrawing all recognition of the Declaration of London and proclaiming other rules—The inclusion of American firms in the “Statutory List” (July 19, 1916) (Documents 508–522)
                      • Protest of July 26, 1916, against the blacklisting of American firms (Documents 523–534)
                      • Protests against the denial of bunker coal to American vessels not on the “White List” (cases of the “Rizal” and “Charlton Hall”) and against interference with Philippine commerce (cases of the “Chinese Prince”, “Kafue”, and “Aymeric”) (Documents 535–555)
                      • Acts of Congress authorizing retaliation against measures detrimental to American commerce (September 7 and 8, 1916)—British protest against these acts (Documents 556–558)
                      • American protest of September 18, 1916, against the rules of the order in council of July 7, 1916—The requirement of “certificates of interest” for goods exported from the Philippine Islands to territories of the British Empire (Documents 559–571)
                      • British notes in defense of the Black List and in reply to the American protest of September 18, 1916—Further correspondence regarding restrictions on bunker coal (case of the “Pathfinder”) (Documents 572–587)
                      • Reservation of American rights in connection with the abolition of the distinction between absolute and conditional contraband, November 11, 1916—Refusal of the United States to resort to British courts for maintenance of national rights—Prize court decisions upholding the legality of the order in council of March 11, 1915 (cases of the “Stigstad” and “United States”) (Documents 588–603)
                    • Informal arrangements with Great Britain and her allies regarding the exportation of American good to enemy and neutral European countries
                      • British “letters of assurance” to American shippers (Documents 604–613)
                      • Shipments of fruit (Documents 614–619)
                      • Shipments of tobacco (Documents 620–651)
                    • Informal arrangements regarding the importation of goods from Germany and Austria-Hungary
                      • Goods ordered before March 1, 1915 (Documents 652–674)
                      • Importation of suger-beet seed (Documents 675–696)
                      • Importation of drugs (Documents 697–701)
                      • Importation of dyes (Documents 702–733)
                      • Importation of sodium cyanide (Documents 734–745)
                      • Importation of porcelain guides for textile machinery (Documents 746–757)
                      • Importation of machine knitting needles (Documents 758–776)
                      • Importation of hops (Documents 777–785)
                    • Arrangements for the regulation of imports made by European neutral countries
                      • The Netherlands Oversea Trust (Documents 786–791)
                      • The Norwegian associations and the Stavanger packers’ import union (Documents 792–794)
                    • Interference with the mails by belligerent governments (Documents 795–831)
                    • The removal by belligerent naval authorities of enemy subjects and military reservists from American ships on the high seas–Cases of the “China”, “Ausable”, “Henry S”, “Marcus L. Urann”, “Missourian”, AND “Frederick Luckenbach” (Documents 832–889)
                    • Departures by belligerent governments and naval authorities from the established rules for exercise of the right to visit and search at sea (Documents 890–902)
                    • Projects of cooperation among the neutral states in defense of neutral rights (Documents 903–911)
                  • Part III: Neutral duties
                    • The entrance into and transit through the United States of active and discharged members of belligerent armed forces (Documents 912–926)
                    • The sale of contraband goods–The transfer to another neutral government of warships built in American yards for a belligerent government (Documents 927–935)
                    • Treatment of belligerent warships in American ports: the escape of members of their interned crews (Documents 936–946)
                    • Treatment of prize ships in American ports–Case of the “Appam” (Documents 947–970)
                    • Treatment of belligerent merchant ships which have taken refuge in American ports (Documents 971–975)
                    • Treatment of armed merchant ships (Documents 976–996)
                    • Hovering of belligerent warships in close proximity to territorial waters (Documents 997–1000)
                    • Treatment of belligerent war and merchant submarines in neutral ports and waters (case of the “Deutschland”): Their operations and beyond territorial waters (Case of the “U–53”) (Documents 1001–1030)
                  • Part IV: Other problems and responsibilities
                    • Regulations regarding passports and the registration of citizens living abroad (Documents 1031–1032)
                    • Status of American consular officers in belligerent territory occupied by enemy troops (Documents 1033–1034)
                    • The proclamation by Germany and Austria-Hungary creating the Kingdom of Poland (Documents 1035–1040)
                    • Appointment of a new Austro-Hungarian ambassador (Documents 1041–1060)
                    • Questions of diplomatic immunity–Case of Wolf Von Igel (Documents 1061–1071)
                    • Representation of belligerent governments in enemy countries–Protection of consular property (Documents 1072–1088)
                    • The right of asylum–Case of the British vice consul at Sofia (Documents 1089–1094)
                    • Protection of American institutions and citizens in Turkey–Efforts in behalf of other foreigners (Documents 1095–1107)
                    • Representations in behalf of Armenians and Syrians (Documents 1108–1123)
                    • Representations in behalf of civilians deported from northern French cities and from Belgium (Documents 1124–1144)
                    • Representations in behalf of Irish political prisoners (Documents 1145–1147)
                    • Correspondence relating to relief work
                      • Belgian relief (Documents 1148–1151)
                      • Polish relief (Documents 1152–1189)
                      • Serbian relief (Documents 1190–1211)
                      • Relief in Turkish territories (Documents 1212–1254)
                    • The exemption of hospital supplies from seizure as contraband of war: The question of their shipment to the central empires (Documents 1255–1287)
                    • The shipment to the central empires of milk for babies (Documents 1288–1302)
                    • The economic conference of the Allied governments (Documents 1303–1316)
                  • Index

                  Persons

                  Abbreviations & Terms

                  Historical Documents

                  • About the Foreign Relations Series
                  • Status of the Foreign Relations Series
                  • History of the Foreign Relations Series
                  • Foreign Relations Ebooks
                  • Other Electronic Resources
                  • Guide to Sources on Vietnam, 1969-1975
                  • Citing the Foreign Relations series

                    Learn more

                  • Home
                  • Search
                  • FAQ

                    Topics

                  • Historical Documents
                  • Department History
                  • Countries

                    Contact

                  • About Us
                  • Contact Us

                    Policies

                  • Accessibility Statement
                  • Privacy Policy
                  • External Link Policy
                  • Copyright Information
                  • Content Warning

                  Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute
                  United States Department of State

                  history@state.gov

                  Phone: 202-955-0200

                  Fax: 202-955-0268

                  Report an issue on this page

                  Footnote

                  View all footnotes