File No. 763.72111G27/2
The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Secretary of State
Washington, October 28, 1914.
[Received October 30.]
No. 369]
Sir: According to information which has reached my Government, the German war vessel Geier has been undergoing repairs at Honolulu since October 17, and should be now ready to take the sea. In view of Article 17 of No. 13 of the Hague convention of 1907 I have the honour to protest against the continued presence of the Geier in a United States harbour and to request that she may be interned.
My Government has also been informed that the German ship Locksun is now in Honolulu with 1,000 tons of coal on board. As the Department was informed in the memorandum from this Embassy of the 19th instant,1 she is one of the ships which have been despatched by Messrs. Behnmeyer from Philippine ports for the purpose of conveying supplies of coal to German cruisers. She sailed from Manila ostensibly for Menado (Celebes), but did not call there, and arrived at Honolulu on October 15 in company with the German cruiser Geier.
As she obviously made a false declaration of destination, there appears to be circumstantial evidence that she has already been engaged in furnishing supplies to a belligerent warship, and that under the general rules of international law and the United States regulations of September 19, 1914, there is ground for detaining her for the purpose of enquiry.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩