828
TRADE MID TREATY.
United States of America.
359
PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM to Lord Reading, (Washington),
Foreign Office, May 18th 1918, 7.30 p.m
No.5071.
Urgent.
Referring to Sir W.Townley's telegram No.1808 ( of May 14th. Requisitioning of Dutch ships).
Text of United States note to Netherland Chargé d'Affaires at washington has ceen communicated by Mr. Sheldon to us. It raises a very delicate point. Your Excellency will remember that in the course of our corresponuence respecting conditions of requisitioning you reported decision of United States Gover- ment that they would not requisition any Dutch ships that might reach subsequently to March 21st United States ports (see your telegram No.1811 of Karen 27th). His Majesty's Govemment on their part assured Netherland Goverment solemnly that after March 21st the associated govemments would not requisition any Dutch ship sailing from a Dutch port see my telegram to Sir.W. Townley No.646 of March 21st repeated at the time to you for information of United States Govemment.
We feel it necessary in these circumstances to make it quite clar that we consider ourselves cound definitely by the pledge we have given. It appears to us that any one-sided departure from it is bound to expose the associated Goverments to a charge of oreach of faith, which in the resent political state of holland would be particularly hanful. Moreover, as we have left her practically little more tonnage than she requires to carry on according to the estimated scale of ratione her necessary over- seas trade, there should be no occasion for further requisitioning on any material scale, Individual ships could probably be ob- tained on an emergency on charter with the consent of the owner.
Netherland