File No. 763.72111/4232
The Minister in Norway ( Schmedeman ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p. m.]
98. My telegram No. 96, November 6.1 Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday handed me in strict confidence summary of Norwegian Government’s reply to German note of October 20, which was delivered to German Minister here November 8. Following is translation of summary:
Aim of my answer of 8th instant to the German Minister is to explain in the spirit of friendliness why it was necessary to pass the resolution relative to submarine boats. It emphasizes that the sole object of the Norwegian Government was to protect Norway’s rights as a neutral power and thereby to assure the neutrality which it is the country’s firm intention to maintain. There was not the least thought on the part of Norwegian Government of causing any of the belligerents advantage or prejudice. The object of the regulations concerning merchant submarines is exclusively to render the control of belligerent war submarines more effective. Should it be possible to prove that such effective control could be exercised without the regulations mentioned. Norwegian Government is fully prepared to take up the question for discussion, and the Norwegian Government has no objection either to drawing up regulations which will make it clear that its attitude towards the question of merchant submarines is the same as that of Sweden.
Moreover it is said that it was not intention of Norwegian Government to contest fundamental lawfulness of submarine warfare itself within the limits of the Declaration of London.
- Not printed.↩