411.60 d F49/3
The Finnish Minister (Åström) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: Acting under instructions from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, I have the honor to call Your Excellency’s attention to the case of twelve Finnish sailing vessels, retained in the ports of the United States in 1918, for which detention the owners of the vessels have presented claim for damages against the Government of the United States, as set forth in the enclosed memoranda,1 drawn up by the legal counsel of the owners.
The damages sustained by the claimants are as follows:
| on the Albyn | 130 days | $707.70 per day | $92,001.00 |
| on the Fahrwohl | 82 days | 356.94 per day | 29,269.08 |
| on the Pampa | 144 days | 438.88 per day | 63,198.72 |
| on the Glenard | 140 days | 533.33 per day | 74,666.20 |
| on the Prof. Koch | 117 days | 351.39 per day | 41,112.63 |
| on the Grace Harwar | 152 days | 500.00 per day | 76,000.00 |
| on the Woodburn | 97 days | 425.00 per day | 41,225.00 |
| on the Kensington | 106 days | 480.00 per day | 50,880.00 |
| on the Port Patrick | 128 days | 440.00 per day | 56,320.00 |
| on the Parchim | 143 days | 466.66 per day | 66,732.28 |
| on the Prompt | 122 days | 351.39 per day | 42,869.58 |
| on the Vidylia | 76 days | 500.00 per day | 38,000.00 |
Pursuant to instructions from my Government, I had the honor to present, by a note dated July 7, 1922,1 to Mr. Charles E. Hughes, then Secretary of State of the United States, the claim of the owners of the Rowena, which also in 1918 was retained in the port of New York for 120 days. On October 23, 1922, I received an answer1 wherein liability was denied on behalf of the Government of the United States for any damages suffered by the owners as a result of the detention of the vessel. This answer was transmitted by me to my Government, which has given full consideration to the reasons presented by the Government of the United States for the denial of the above-mentioned claim, and to the rules of International Law [Page 187] applicable to such cases, and has reached the conclusion, on account of the additional material brought forth during the investigation of the matter, that a reconsideration of the claim by the Government of the United States would appear to be requisite. It has also become evident that the vessel was actually detained for a longer period than originally believed, and that the daily rate for damages heretofore claimed was not necessarily the proper rate to be applied under such circumstances. These errors have been corrected in the claim which I have now the honor to resubmit and in which the damages are stated as follows:
| on the Rowena | 120 days | $500.00 per day | $60,000.00 |
Referring to the foregoing, I have the honor respectfully to request Your Excellency to undertake proper action so that full compensation for the damages sustained and claimed be made.
Accept [etc.]