File No. 811.142/304 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, September 18, 1914. [Received 7 p. m.] 700. Your telegram September 4. British Government will grant all courtesies requested for S. S. Red Cros8. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR [The ship sailed September 12, carrying units and supplies, of which the American diplomatic representatives in the various countries were informed by telegraph on the 16th. She returned on October 24, bringing a number of American passengers.] PROPOSAL FOR THE EXEMPTION OF HOSPITAL SUPPLIES FROM SEIZURE AS CONTRABAND OF WAR File No. 763.72112/134 The Ambassador in Spain (Willard) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Madrid, September 22, 1914. [Received September 23, 5.10 p. m.] In an interview yesterday morning His Majesty informed me confidentially condition of wounded soldiers, particularly in French hospitals where there are inadequate supplies, especially of bandages and absorbent cotton, was deplorable and expressed an earnest wish for our cooperation in relieving this situation. To that end he hopes that United States and Spanish Ambassadors accredited near various European courts now at war will make a joint request for arrangements between countries of hospital supplies and that such supplies in transit on the high seas may be considered by them neither contraband nor conditional contraband of war but free. Please telegraph whether Department can see its way clear to give to our diplomatic officers concerned the instructions necessary to realize His Majesty's hope. WILLARD The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) 1 [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 24, 1914. The Department has received from the American Ambassador at Madrid a request from the King of Spain for our cooperation in 1 The same to the Ambassadors in Great Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Japan, and to the Minister in Belgium. making a joint request that arrangements be made between the belligerent countries as to what constitutes hospital supplies and that such supplies in transit on the high seas may be considered by them neither contraband nor conditional contraband of war, but free. The Department presumes that the country to which you are accredited would be willing to follow the rule in Article 29 of the Declaration of London maintaining the non-contraband character of hospital supplies, but you may confer with your Spanish colleague with a view to making a joint representation to the Foreign Office in the sense indicated. LANSING File No. 763.72112/146 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State1 [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, 789. Your unnumbered instruction September 24. The Spanish Ambassador having just received instructions, he and I had a conference with Grey. Grey heartily assents in principle and asks that our Government and the Spanish Government define exactly what constitutes hospital supplies and submit to all belligerent governments this definition and the proposal that they be neither contraband nor conditional contraband but be free and be expedited everywhere. The Spanish Ambassador here suggests that you take this up with the Spanish Ambassador in Washington to save time. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR The Acting Secretary of State to the American Red Cross DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 8, 1914. The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to the American Red Cross Society and informs it that a telegram, dated October 6, has been received from London stating that Sir Edward Grey, in response to a request of the American and Spanish Ambassadors, has asked that our Government define exactly what constitutes hospital supplies, to the end that such supplies may not be declared contraband or conditional contraband but be free and be expedited everywhere. The Department would be glad to be informed as to what constitutes hospital supplies and will appreciate an early reply so that same may be transmitted to the belligerent governments. 'Repeated October 9 to the Ambassador in Spain. File No. 763.72112/203 The Chairman of the Central Committee of the American Red Cross (Davis) to the Assistant Secretary of State AMERICAN RED CROSS, Washington, October 8, 1914. SIR: Responding to your verbal inquiry of this morning respecting the denomination of medical and hospital supplies as related to questions of contraband of war, the best I can do is to tell you of the shipments that the Red Cross has made and is making in response to requests from the Red Cross and hospital organizations in the belligerent countries (see List A herewith). But this does not by any means exhaust the class of articles that belong to the category of medical and hospital supplies. In the former group should be included all pharmaceutical preparations, of which a summary is included, and another of articles for use in hospitals (see List B herewith). There are certain articles used for medicinal purposes that are compounded of materials which in other forms would be contraband of war. For example, many hospital dressings are made of cotton in some form; so, too, as a basis for an explosive, cotton is also used, known as guncotton. The preparation of the two are entirely separate and distinct, and the one could never be taken for the other. The same remark applies to gauze dressings saturated with picric acid, used to alleviate suffering from burns; this same material in another form is a high explosive. And I presume this remark, relating to these two articles, may have application to others. Yours sincerely, [Enclosure] GEORGE W. DAVIS Articles which have been supplied by the American Red Cross Hospital supplies, dressings, etc.: Stretchers; absorbent cotton; non-absorbent cotton; absorbent gauze; starched (crinoline) gauze; picric-acid gauze; gauze and muslin bandages; adhesive plaster. Surgical instruments and accessories: Artery forceps; scissors; sutures for sewing wounds-silk, catgut, silkworm gut; rubber gloves; hypodermic syringes. Medicines: Tincture of iodine. Anesthetics: Chloroform; ether. LIST B Similar articles coming under same headings as in List A Hospital equipment: Beds; bedding; pajamas and nightshirts. Operating-room furniture: Sterilizers; instrument stands; instrument cases; operating tables and chairs; electric batteries. Surgical supplies-dressings: Absorbent cotton; non-absorbent cotton; absorbent gauze; starched gauze; bandages; gutta percha tissue; oiled silk; adhesive plaster. Surgical instruments and accessories: Instruments; sutures for sewing wounds; rubber gloves. 2432-28- -53 Medicines and chemicals: Iodine; cocaine; strychnine; calomel; phenacetin; trional; sodium bicarbonate; sodium salicylate; sodium bromide; potassium bromide; menthol; oil of mustard; camphor; sulphate [of] iron; carbolic acid; boric acid; citric acid; bismuth subnitrate; opium; morphine; codeine; quinine; antipyrin; salol; sulfonal; sodium phosphate; sodium sulphate; potassium iodid; potassium permanganate; oil of peppermint; bichloride of mercury; sulphate [of] copper; magnesia; lactic acid; phosphoric acid; tannic acid; bismuth subgallate; alcohol; petrolatum; sulphate [of] zinc; mustard; ergot; digitalis; oxide [of] zinc; protargol; belladonna; capsicum. File No. 763.72112/146 The Acting Secretary of State to the Spanish Ambassador (Riaño) DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 9, 1914. MY DEAR MR. AMBASSADOR: The Department has received a cable message from the American Ambassador at London informing it that in compliance with instructions to cooperate with his Spanish colleague he and the Spanish Ambassador have had a conference with Sir Edward Grey regarding the suggestion of His Majesty the King of Spain that hospital supplies be declared neither contraband nor conditional contraband. Sir Edward Grey, who heartily assented in principle to the representations made by them, asked that the Governments of Spain and the United States define exactly what constitutes hospital supplies and submit such definition to all belligerent governments with the proposal that those supplies be declared neither contraband nor conditional contraband but be free and be expedited everywhere. The Spanish Ambassador made the suggestion to Ambassador Page that the matter be taken up by the Department with your excellency in order to save time. In compliance with the request of the Department, the American Red Cross Society has furnished a list of articles which have been supplied by that society and a list of similar articles coming under the same headings, copies of which lists are enclosed for your information.1 I should greatly appreciate a telegram from your excellency stating whether the enclosed lists meet with your approval, and, if not, an early conference with you on the subject. I am [etc.] ROBERT LANSING The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 14, 1914. 307. Your 789 [of October] 6. The Spanish Ambassador here states that he has received no instructions and prefers that you cooperate with the Spanish Ambassador at London. 1Ante, p. 833. The Department has received from the Red Cross Society the following list of hospital supplies: [Here follow Lists A and B, enclosed in the letter of October 8 from Chairman Davis of the Red Cross.1] You will submit this list to the British Foreign Office and telegraph their decision as soon as possible. LANSING File No. 763.72112/181 The Chargé d'Affaires in Russia (Wilson) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, [Received October 17, 1914, 11.40 p. m.] 69. Department's circular telegram, September 24.2 Russian Government is happy to render homage to the noble initiatives of King of Spain and President of the United States. In response to their appeal, Russian authorities have been ordered to give the broadest application to Article 29 of the Declaration of London. WILSON File No. 763.72112/187 The Minister in Belgium (Whitlock) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN LEGATION, Brussels, October 19, 1914. [Repetition received October 20, 8 a. m.] Department's circular September 242 regarding agreement to consider hospital supplies as neither contraband nor conditional contraband of war was duly communicated to Belgian Government. No reply has as yet been received. WHITLOCK File No. 763.72112/269 The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin. October 29, 1914. [Received October 30, 9.30 p. m.] 662. Your circular September 24.2 The Foreign Office replies to joint request that No. 28, paragraph 1, of the German prize ordinance of September 30, 1909, already provides that articles serving exclusively to aid the sick and wounded shall not be treated as contraband and may be requisitioned subject to payment compensa |