File No. 841.801/80

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

[Telegram]

5544. Following notice dated January 24 received from Foreign Office with request that it be brought immediately to attention of United States Government:

In view of the unrestricted warfare carried on by Germany at sea by means of mines and submarines not only against the Allied powers but also against neutral shipping and the fact that merchant ships are constantly sunk without regard to the ultimate safety of their crews, His Majesty’s Government give notice that on and after the 7th proximo the under-mentioned area in the North Sea will be rendered dangerous to all shipping by operations against the enemy and it should therefore be avoided.

Area comprising all the waters except Netherland and Danish territorial waters lying to the southward and eastward of a line commencing four miles from the coast of Jutland in latitude 56° N., longitude 8° E. from Greenwich and passing through the following positions: latitude 56° N., longitude 6° E.; latitude 54° 45′ [N., longitude 4° 30′] E., thence to a position in latitude 53° 37′ N., longitude 5° E., seven miles off the coast of the Netherlands.

To meet the needs of the Netherland coastal traffic which can not strictly confine itself to territorial waters owing to navigational difficulties a safe passage will be left to the southward of a line joining the following points: latitude 53° 27′ N., longitude 5° E.; latitude 53° 31½′ N., longitude 5° 30′ E.; latitude 53° 34′ E. [N.], latitude [longitude] 6° E.; latitude 53° 39′ N., longitude 6° 23′ E.

Page