File No. 763.72112/3089

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

No. 4502

Sir: The Department has received your No. 49881 of October 11, 1916, with which, having reference to the Department’s instruction No. 4191 of September 18,2 in relation to the Maritime Rights Order in Council of 1916, you enclose a copy of a note received from the Foreign Office in response to the Embassy’s representations in the matter.

You will address to the Foreign Office a note in reply to the effect that without admitting that even individual rights when clearly violated by orders in council must be maintained by resort to local tribunals, this Government must announce that it, of course, has no intention to resort to British courts for the maintenance of such of its national rights as may be infringed by orders in council of Great Britain.

I am [etc.]

Robert Lansing
  1. Ante, p. 461.
  2. Ante, p. 446.