File No. 763.72111N83/88
Memorandum of the Third Assistant Secretary of State ( Long)
The Norwegian Minister called today and advised me that his Government had decided to mine the territorial waters of Norway to prevent the passage of belligerent submarines. He said that in response to their notes of inquiry as to the identity of certain submarines which had passed within his territorial waters, his Government had been advised by the United States that none of its submarines had penetrated; by the French Government that none of its submarines had penetrated; by the British Government that one of its submarines had penetrated, and that it had protested; that Germany had not answered their inquiry, but that Norway felt a sufficient time had been allowed to elapse and that she would now immediately proceed to mine the waters; but she would allow the passage of merchant ships. The mining will take place in one week.