Copy.
(24158)
N.L.11793.
Admiralty.
1st March, 1915.
311
Sir,
Confidential.
10535
IREC
REG 5 MAR 15
With reference to your letter 1.348/1915 of the
9th ultimo, enclosing a copy of a letter from the
Colonial Office relative to the proposed measures for
preventing the supply of coal to enemy cruisers from
the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies, I am command -
ed by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint
you, for the information of the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, that they appreciate the difficulties
mentioned in the Colonial Office letter of February 3rd.
Their Lordships, however, consider American competition
to be of no great account in view of the great distance
involved and the high freights prevailing at the present
time, combined with the difficulty in securing tonnage.
Further, the Japanese Government have shown themselves
extremely willing to meet the view of the Foreign Office
in this matter so that no difficulty need be anticipated
from them in the event of it being found necessary to
carry the threat of prohibition into execution.
2.
I am to inform you that experience in South America
has shown that the only effective method of preventing
enemy