File No. 840.48/304 The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, August 16, 1914, 6 p. m. [Received August 17, 8 a. m.] Your telegram of yesterday concerning neutrality of foreign ships used solely to repatriate Americans. In view of suspicion of French Government regarding German ships now lying in neutral ports and in absence of denial of reported sailing of the Vaterland armed from New York, I respectfully request authority to defer representations in sense of above telegram until England, as greatest maritime power, can first be sounded on this question. Effective discharge of heavy responsibility of repatriating Americans and of protecting German and Austro-Hungarian interests so dependent upon maintenance of very cordial relations existing between this Embassy and Foreign Office that I dread taking any step which might be misconstrued. Public opinion in France appreciates attitude of American press and grateful for donations to Red Cross and American AmbuÎance. File No. 763.72/490 HERRICK The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, August 17, 1914, 8 p. m. [Received August 18, 6.05 a. m.] In support of suggestion in my August 16, 6 p. m., that England be sounded first in re neutralization German vessels now lying in New York Harbor, am informed by Foreign Office that British Admiral is in command of Allied fleets in Atlantic. Have discreetly ascertained without submitting Department's proposal that France would oppose it and have it on the authority of Foreign Office that at the Declaration of London Germany refused to accept principle involved in said proposal. HERRICK File No. 840.48/334 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, August 18, 1914, midnight. 404. Your August 6, 1 [7] p. m., and August 15, 8 p. m. Sir Edward Grey informs me that the Declaration of London forbids the sale in a neutral port of a ship belonging to a subject of a belligerent and the use of that ship under a neutral flag to escape the consequences of its original belligerent ownership. This would apparently forbid the purchase by Americans of the German liners now in American ports and their use under cover of American flag. Sir Edward Grey saw no objection to the use under a definite understanding of these German ships for a trip across the Atlantic only to take stranded Americans home, if they can fly the American flag, be commanded by American officers, and will be guaranteed by our Government to return to the place and condition in which they now are. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick)1 [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 20, 1914, 8 p. m. Department has been informed from London that British Foreign Office sees no objection to German passenger steamers now lying in American ports being used by the American Government, under the American flag, commanded by American officers, to bring stranded Americans back from Europe. Department understands that German Government is willing that this should be done. You will present this matter informally to the Foreign Office and ascertain whether, in view of the above facts, the French Government would be disposed to agree with the British view. BRYAN File No. 840.48/360 The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, August 20, 1914, 11 p. m. [Received August 21, 7.15 p. m.] Referring to the Department's August 6, 1 p. m.,2 and August 19 [15], 4 [3] p. m., following is substance of French reply to Department's proposition: The French Government does not share the view of the American Government that ships chartered for the sole purpose of repatriating American citizens can be considered as neutral according to Article 4 of the Hague convention. By "philanthropic mission" would be understood ships of relief societies, such as the Dutch societies for the relief of fishermen, which would only be protected by the Geneva convention when used for the purpose of transporting wounded or sick soldiers. It would be impossible to consider as belonging to this category of relief societies a merchantman of the 1The same, mutatis mutandis, to the Ambassadors in Germany and AustriaHungary. 'Ante, p. 475. enemy, whether transportable [transformable] into a cruiser or not, chartered by a third power to repatriate its nationals. Any further [other] interpretation would provoke the gravest abuses by extending human tarian character to all passengers asking for protection for any purpose and permitting belligerent ships blockaded in neutral ports to escape capture by the enemy by a subterfuge. The French Government is the first to recogn ze the need of employing all possible means for repatriating distressed American citizens remaining in Europe. To this end there is no surer or more expeditious method, at the same time conforming to the right of nations, than the employment of neutral Spanish, Italian or Dutch, or of French and English ships, the navigation of which is assured by the command of the sea. Finally the American proposition has lost all practical interest since the French Government engages to transport through France the 4,000 Americans .n Switzerland whom the American government proposed to repatriate via Genoa by the German steamers Moltke and König Albert, and is disposed to aid in transporting them across the ocean under its own flag. Note in full by mail.' HERRICK File No. 840.48/374 The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, [Received August 22, 1914, 6.50 a. m.] To-day informally presented to French Government subject of using German passenger steamers to repatriate Americans. French Government do not in principle object to utilization of German ships. They feel, however, that plan of sailing under American flag and officers impracticable. They state they could agree to give pass for definite voyage of such steamers to convey American passengers to American ports where they would again be tied up but that such pass would not be good in French ports where German officers could make observations. They think only feasible way to utilize German ships is to send them to neutral ports, Spanish or Italian, as they anticipate demonstrations in French ports which they could not control. There would also be difficulty of booking and handling passage money, etc. A report was made to-day by the transportation committee here to the effect that, with the transportation already obtained and that in sight, all demands could be met in the near future. After thorough discussion of the whole question it was unanimously agreed by the committee, of which more than 20 per cent were present, to adopt the report of the transportation committee. To-day the Foreign Minister told me that he thought on Monday he could assure me of two more ships. If there should be any demonstration or general criticism on the part of the French public in case German ships were employed, I am inclined to think it would deter Americans from sailing thereon. Under all the circumstances I feel that if utilization of German ships could be avoided without very much inconvenience to our people, at least so far as France is concerned, it would be most desirable. HERRICK 'Not printed. File No. 840.48/410 The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, [Received August 25, 1.30 p. m.] 1 With reference to your telegram of August 15, 5 [3] p. m., the Imperial German Government will recognize as neutralized within the meaning of Article 4 of the eleventh Hague convention of 1907 ships chartered during the present war by the United States for the purpose of repatriation of Americans, provided the other belligerent powers under the guaranty of the American Government also agree to such recognition. The German Government would furthermore insist on the following conditions: (1) The consent of the German Government shall be required in order that German ships may be thus neutralized; (2) the neutrality of the ships shall extend over the period of their outward and return. voyage and shall be extinguished the moment the ships reach the port of original departure; and (3) each ship shall carry an American naval or civilian officer duly accredited who shall guarantee that the ship is used exclusively for the philanthropic purpose in question. GERARD File No. 840.48/374 The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick)2 [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 25, 1914. Your undated telegram received August 22. In view of present transportation facilities the Department will not consider at present the chartering of German ships for the return of stranded Americans to the United States. BRYAN File No. 840.48/439 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, August 28, 1914. 503. Your telegram received 15th instant. Foreign Office informs me that if the United States Government will guarantee that the German steamers Moltke and König Albert will be interned for the remainder of the war and that they carry no cargo from Italy, the 2 The same in purport to the other ambassadors in belligerent countries. British Government will take pleasure in complying with your request for consent to their use for conveying American citizens from Genoa to United States. The British Government, however, stipulate that in this case internment shall mean that these ships shall not be employed or utilized in any way and shall not be allowed to leave the port in which they shall have been interned. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR THE TRANSFER OF MERCHANT SHIPS FROM BELLIGERENT FLAGS TO THE AMERICAN FLAG FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL PURPOSES File No. 763.72111/7 The French Chargé d'Affaires (Clausse) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] J FRENCH EMBASSY, Manchester, Massachusetts, August 4, 1914. My Government having been informed of a bill now pending before Congress tending to facilitate the acquisition by foreign merchant vessels of the American nationality has asked me to draw the Federal Government's attention to the dispositions of the London Declaration of 1909, signed by the United States, and to make all reserves concerning the transfer of flags that might be made in opposition to said declaration and which could not therefore be recognized by the French Government. CLAUSSE File No. 195.1/7 The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, August 7, 1914, noon. [Received 11.30 a. m.] I am reliably informed that newspaper reports of intention of United States to introduce bill for placing American-owned but foreign-built vessels under American flag is regarded here as likely to assist Germany. HERRICK The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick) [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 8, 1914, noon. Yours, August 7, noon. The bill in question does not cover the subject of the transfer of the ships of belligerents to citizens of the |