File No. 341.622a/85
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page)
3264. Your mail despatch No. 3277, March 20.1 Please inquire at earliest moment of Sir Edward Grey the ground for the removal of Third Officer Leiztritz from the American S. S. Ausable at Kirkwall about January 14. As vessel was released after examination, there appears to have been no good reason for taking the vessel into port, and if it was done to obtain custody of Leiztritz I can conceive of no more justification for obtaining possession of him by bringing the vessel into port than by seizing him on the vessel at sea. If persons may be removed from ships by bringing them into port, the rule against seizure at sea would be entirely nullified. Unless the British Government shows that Leiztritz was incorporated in the armed forces of Germany, please present a vigorous and formal protest to the British Government with a request for his immediate release. Please follow up this case in the same vigorous manner as I am pleased to note that you are doing in the case of S. S. China because this Government can not allow a continuance of a practice of removing non-combatant belligerent subjects from American ships on the high seas or while the vessels are wrongfully in port—a practice which appears to be becoming general and which is a direct affront to the American flag and dignity.