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

File No. 763.72111Ap4/140

The Attorney General (Gregory) to the Counselor for the Department of State (Polk)

Washington, February 16, 1916 .
[Received February 17.]

My Dear Mr. Polk: Confirming my telephone conversation with you this afternoon, I transmit herewith copy of telegram received from the judge of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia:

British & African Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., claiming to be owners of S. S. Appam, have filed libel in this court for possession of the steamship and asked for usual process. Wire please whether the allowance of same by me will involve any embarrassment to Executive Department in handling same.

I have this afternoon wired him as follows:

Will wire you to-morrow on receipt by this Department of the views of the State Department.

I shall be glad to receive from the State Department, on February 17, a further statement which I may transmit to the judge by telegram.¹

Respectfully,

For the Attorney General:

Charles Warren

1. According to an attached memorandum initialed by the Counselor the following message was telephoned to the Department of Justice: “Do not feel that the Department should attempt to control jurisdiction of court or limit rights of claimants.”