441.11C881/6
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis)
Sir: Reference is made to your despatch No. 3441 of September 17, 1920, concerning the release of American owned goods detained by the British authorities during the war, with which you enclosed a copy of a note dated September 15, 1920 received from the Foreign Office regarding this matter. In the fifth paragraph of this note it is stated that the concessions made therein by the British Government regarding the British Order-in-Council of March 11, 1915 are made upon the assumption that they will be accepted as a settlement of all questions which have arisen with regard to the Order-in-Council in question and must not be taken as implying any doubt or admission whatever with regard to its validity.
You are requested to inform the Foreign Office that while this Government might be willing to accept the concessions made by the British authorities as a settlement of some of the questions which [Page 646] have arisen with regard to the Order-in-Council of March 11, 1915, it cannot accept these concessions as a settlement of all questions which have arisen or may arise with regard to this Order-in-Council.
I am [etc.]