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

File No. 841.711/880

Statement issued to the Press by the British Embassy

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[Handed to the Secretary of State by the British Ambassador, August 10, 1916.]

It is admitted that at the outset neutral correspondence in which enemy interests were in no way concerned was subjected to a delay which is greatly regretted and which has since been reduced to a minimum. It must not be imagined that the mails were removed from neutral ships for examination without careful consideration of the arrangements which would be required to deal with them as quickly as possible. All preparations which seemed necessary were with this object, but, unfortunately, those responsible for them were not aware of some of the difficulties which would be encountered. For instance, there was no reason to suppose that (as proved to be the case) mail bags marked as despatched from one neutral country to another neutral country would contain nothing but mails for or from an enemy country, that bags represented as containing printed matter would contain rubber, coffee, jewelry, etc., sometimes disguised as newspapers, as well as correspondence of all kinds, registered and unregistered, or that persons waiting to or from enemy countries would already have adopted the practice of sending their letters under cover to intermediaries in neutral countries, or that great numbers of complete sacks appearing to contain merely business circulars from neutral countries would contain in reality nothing but propaganda from Germany under covers bearing neutral postage stamps. These and similar unforeseen peculiarities made it impossible, until the staff engaged had been largely increased and had become accustomed to them, to select on any fixed principle those mail bags which, when all could not be examined within a reasonable period, should be forwarded without examination.

The delay of shipping documents carried by the same ship as the cargo to which they refer can be, and has been in some cases, avoided by the simple expedient of enclosing such documents in specially marked bags.

The delay to which ordinary neutral mails are at present subjected as a result of the censorship varies according to their origin and destination. The following examples refer to United States mails, but the treatment of other neutral mails can also be inferred from the details given:

(1) Mails from United States to Holland

(a) If not removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Falmouth 1st June.
• Leave Kirkwall 4th June.
• Arrive Rotterdam 6th June.
  • Total: 6 days.

(b) If removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Falmouth 1st June.
• Received in London 1st June (or 3.30 a. m., 2d June).
• Despatched after examination: At earliest, 2d June; at latest, 5th June.
• Arrive Rotterdam: At earliest, 3d June; at latest, 7th June.¹
  • Total: Minimum, 3 days; maximum, 7 days.

(2) Mails from Holland to United States

(a) If not removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Leave Falmouth 4th June.
• Arrive New York 12th June.
  • Total: 12 days.

(b) If removed from, the ship by which the were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Received in London 3d June.
• Despatched after examination: At earliest, 13th June; at latest, 14th June.
  • Total: Minimum, 13 days; maximum, 14 days.

(3) Mails from United States to Denmark

(a) If not removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Arrive Copenhagen 4th June.
  • Total: 4 days.

(b) If removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Received in London 3d June.
• Despatched after examination: At earliest, 4th June; at latest, 7th June.
• Arrive Copenhagen: At earliest, 7th June; at latest, 10th June.
  • Total: Minimum, 7 days; maximum, 10 days.

(4) Mails from Denmark to United States

(a) If not removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Arrive New York 11th June.
  • Total: 11 days.

(b) If removed from the ship by which they were despatched—

• Arrive Kirkwall 1st June.
• Received in London 3d June.
• Despatched after examination: At earliest, 4th June; at latest, 5th June.
• Arrive New York: At earliest, 13th June; at latest, 15th June.
  • Total: Minimum, 13 days; maximum, 15 days.

The above figures are based on the experience of the last two months. but, so far as they relate to the sailings and duration of voyages of the ships concerned, they can not be absolutely vouched for, owing to alterations and uncertainties to which movements of all ships are continually subject.

It has been suggested that considerable delay would be avoided if mails landed at Kirkwall were examined at and despatched from that port instead of being brought to London for examination. It must, however, be remembered that American mails are, after examination, forwarded either from Liverpool to the United States or from Newcastle or Hull to Scandinavian countries or from Tilbury or Harwich to Holland. It would thus only in very rare cases expedite the despatch of mails to detain them at Kirkwall pending the arrival there of the next ship making for the same port as that for which the ship from which they were removed was destined, even supposing the next ship were able to take them on board. The mails must be brought at some stage as far south as the port from which they will eventually be despatched, and the difference between the journey to Liverpool and the journey to London only amounts to about four hours.

A further objection to removing the place of censorship from London is one which will easily be understood, namely, that, where an immense organisation is in existence employing between 800 and 1,000 men and women, as is the case with that Department of the Postal Censorship which deals with these particular mails, a splitting up of the staff between London and the ports of call in different parts of the United Kingdom must seriously affect the efficiency and smoothness of working of the whole organisation, not to speak of the difficulties inherent in providing accommodations for a sufficiently large staff in such remote places as Kirkwall. Moreover, it is to the interest of neutrals that the moment the examination of mails is concluded they shall be handed over at once to the post-office authorities for retransmission immediately by the quickest route available, and this cooperation of the postal authorities is easiest and quickest in London.

1. Extra day allowed, as there is no despatch to Holland on three days in the week.