340.1115A/1154a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy)6
1418. 1. As you were advised by Mr. Long by telephone today, S. S. Washington will return to Galway for the purpose of evacuating remaining Americans from British Isles. It is expected that the ship will leave New York Friday, June 28, and will arrive at Galway on July 4. Bookings for departure from Galway for New York will be made from United States Lines office, London. Lines will fix rates.
2. You will advise all Americans in British Isles most emphatically that the Government cannot continue to dispatch American vessels with their crews into dangerous waters to repatriate citizens unmindful of warnings and assistance repeatedly given them to return to United States and who persist in remaining in the danger area, and that they should take this opportunity, which may well be the last given them, to return home.
3. American passports for persons proceeding to United States on the Washington may be validated to cover journey over combat water to Ireland, thence over combat water to United States, thus avoiding validations in Ireland for journey to United States. Validations should specifically state that journey is over combat water to United States on S. S. Washington. Inform all consuls under your jurisdiction and American Minister, Dublin, for consuls under his jurisdiction.
4. There may be embarked on board the following categories of passengers only: American citizens, alien spouses and unmarried minor children accompanying American spouses or parents; alien parents domiciled in United States and properly documented for return traveling with American children; and alien nurses and companions properly documented for admission into United States accompanying American passengers, provided the medical condition of the passenger is such as to render the nurse’s or companion’s traveling necessary. In remaining accommodations citizens of the other American republics may be embarked upon the specific request of their governments’ diplomatic representatives in each case. No provision is to be made for the embarkation of citizens of the other American republics referred to until all American citizens have been given an [Page 133] opportunity to return on the ship and accommodations have been provided those who wish to embark. Permission herein given for the embarkation of citizens of the other American republics should not be advertised.
5. With respect to question of loans for repatriation expenses, please telegraph immediately balance remaining from $20,000 authorized for previous trip of Washington so that Department may consider what amount for this voyage may be necessary. In that connection please note that Franklin of United States Lines agreed today to make available 200 steerage accommodations on ship at a rate of $100 each. These accommodations are to be allotted under your direction only to American citizens to whom loans of Government funds for transportation may be advanced and to those financially unable to purchase other accommodations. Loans for partial or complete cost of transportation may not be made for more expensive accommodations until the allotment for the 200 is exhausted.
6. You will please notify persons taking passage on the Washington that each assumes the risks of the journey for himself in the sense of the Department’s 951, May 23 to you concerning the voyage of the President Roosevelt.
7. Authority is hereby granted to issue emergency consular certificate for the Washington in accordance with procedure outlined in Diplomatic Serial No. 3047 of March 28, 1939.7
8. You will please notify the government to which you are accredited and also the Netherlands, Polish and Belgian Governments of the voyage of the ship along the lines indicated in the Department’s telegrams relating to previous voyages of the steamships President Roosevelt and Washington.
9. Please prepare a full and exact list of passengers leaving on Washington together with their addresses and indication of nationality, grouping families, and mail same to Department on board ship but be prepared to telegraph list in case it is requested.
10. Telegraph promptly time of sailing of ship on return voyage in order that belligerent governments may be informed in advance of such sailing.
11. Franklin requests you please inform United States Lines office at London of foregoing and you are authorized to supply office with copy of this telegram. Also notify Minister, Dublin and cooperate with him in allotments of the steerage passengers.
- In telegrams of June 28 to the Minister in Portugal as No. 113 and to the Consul at Bordeaux as No. 374, instructions were given as to the voyage of the S. S. Manhattan from New York July 2, due in Lisbon July 8 or 9. Arrangements were similar to those for voyages of the President Roosevelt and the Washington.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1939, vol. i, p. 585.↩