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

File No. 763.72112/2330

The Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Sweet) to the Secretary of State

Washington, March 9, 1916 .
[Received March 11.]

Sir: There is enclosed herewith for your information and such comment as you may care to make a copy of a circular signed by the British Vice Consul. This circular sets forth that an arrangement has been made whereby American shippers may inform themselves in advance whether their consignments will be regarded as unobjectionable under the British military regulations, or whether any of the circumstances would require investigation, and to this end an office has been established provisionally at the British Embassy, Washington, D. C, which will give to intending shippers in satisfactory cases letters of assurance to facilitate the passage of shipments through the British naval patrol.

Very truly yours,

E. F. Sweet

[Enclosure]

Circular issued by the British Consulate General in New York

New York, March 4, 1916 .

Circular—D. 1467.16.4343

Gentlemen: It has been represented to His Majesty’s Government that it would be of service to American exporters intending to ship goods to Scandinavian countries if, before shipment, they could ascertain through some British authority in the United States, whether their consignments would be regarded as unobjectionable under the British military regulations, or whether any of the circumstances would require investigation.

Arrangements have accordingly been made to provide applicants with this information through an office established provisionally at the British Embassy, Washington, D. C., which will give to intending shippers in satisfactory cases, “Letters of Assurance” to facilitate the passage of their shipments through the British Naval Patrol.

I am directed by H. M. Consul General to acquaint you that shippers who desire to avail themselves of the facilities offered should be informed that applications for information must relate to particular consignments and should be made at least two weeks before the date proposed for the shipment of the goods.

No general assurances can be given; but all applications must state for each proposed shipment the following details which should be furnished in duplicate, on separate sheets, and signed in writing:

(1) The name and address of the consignor.

(2) The complete description and quantity of the goods.

(3) The name and address of the consignee in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark as the case may be.

(4) The name of the steamship line which will transport the goods; the approximate date of shipping, and the name of the vessel, when this is known.

(5) Consignments of the same description of goods to different consignees, or of different descriptions of goods to the same consignees must be separately indicated.

I am to add that in cases where applications involve inquiries by cable, the applicants will be invited to bear their share of the cable expenses.

The machinery of the new office in Washington will not be in operation for about a week or ten days.

All of the goods in a particular consignment for which a letter of assurance is given should be shipped on the same vessel. If the quantity shipped is less than that covered by the assurance the latter will not be regarded as valid for the later shipment of the unexhausted balance, which should be the subject of a fresh application.

Shippers desiring to submit cases to the new office should address their applications either directly, or through the steamship line which will carry the goods, to The Trade Department, British Embassy, Washington, D. C.

I am [etc.]

M. M. Richardson

Vice Consul