File No. 600.119/493

The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic and Consular Officers 1

[Circular telegram]

Advise consular officers at seaports, your jurisdiction, that every vessel leaving United States ports on or after February 1, 1918, will carry copy of shipper’s export declaration, manifest of cargo to be discharged at each port, Bunker Form No. 7 and Bunker Form No. 2, which master must deliver to American consul on arrival at port, and place consul in possession of all facts relating to cargo, bunkers, ship’s stores and voyage, and can proceed to load or discharge only after receiving authority from consul. Documents delivered by master should be returned to him by consular officer upon clearance. Consular officers will observe and report for Bureau of Exports, War Trade Board, all deliveries of cargo not in accordance with shipper’s export declaration, and will report by cable for Bureau of Transportation, War Trade Board, any failure by master or owner to fulfill terms of bunker agreement. Full instructions by mail follow.

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Lansing
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  1. This instruction was superseded by that of Mar. 29, post, p. 977.