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

File No. 763.72112/3089

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State

No. 4988

London, October 11, 1916 .
[Received October 24.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s instruction No. 4191,¹ of September 18, with respect to the Maritime Eights Order in Council, 1916, and in reply to enclose herewith, for the information of the Department, a copy of the note which has been received from the Foreign Office, under date of October 10, in response to the Embassy’s representations in the premises.

I have [etc.]

Walter Hines Page

[Enclosure]

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Grey) to the American Ambassador (Page)

Foreign Office, October 10, 1916 .

Your Excellency: I have had the honour of receiving Mr. Laughlin’s note of the 3d instant (No. 241) in which he makes a communication under instructions from your Government with respect to the Maritime Rights Order in Council, 1916.

I would point out that, if the rules cited in the order in council are not deemed by the United States Government to be in accordance with international law, they should be challenged in the prize court.

I have [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:

Maurice de Bunsen

1. Ante, p. 446.