File No. 763.72112/1880

The Ambassador in France (Sharp) to the Secretary of State

No. 1545]

Sir: In confirmation of my telegram No. 1064 of the 26th inst.,2 I have the honor to transmit herewith in copy and translation a report [Page 180] presented by the President of the Council, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Marine to the President of the Republic on the subject of difficulties in the application of Article 57 of the Declaration of London, as well as the decree which was based upon this report.

From this it appears that the French Government no longer intends to follow the provisions of Article 57 of the Declaration of London.

I have [etc.]

Wm. G. Sharp
[Enclosure 1–Translation]

Report to the President of the French Republic

Sir: Among the rules of international maritime law, formulated by the declaration signed at London February 26, 1909, which was not ratified, but which is being actually applied by the decree of November 6, 1914, during the present war with certain reservations, consisting in some additions and modifications, the ruling inscribed under Article 57 of this declaration establishes an absolute presumption of the neutral or enemy character of vessels according to the flag the vessel has the right to carry.

Experience has proved that such a strict rule is in practice capable of leading to inexact solutions. It may happen that for commercial purposes, during a time of peace, vessels were regularly registered under a flag which has become an enemy one by reason of the war, while in reality the interests vested in the ownership of these vessels belong to nationals of a third country which may be neutral or Allied. Conversely vessels registered under a neutral flag may as a matter of fact represent enemy interests.

The reunion of capital in the form of societies renders these combinations particularly easy to realize thanks to the real personality, legally capable of holding property, and to the nationality which the law recognizes and accords to societies independently of the personality or the nationality of the individuals who own interests in it.

One of the objects which a belligerent may legitimately pursue on the high seas according to international law is to annihilate by capture the mercantile marine of the enemy. If by attacking neutral interests represented by a vessel registered under the enemy’s flag the belligerent deviates from the aforementioned aim and finds himself accused of violating the liberty of neutral commerce, his right to act legitimately is directly injured by the employment of registration under a neutral flag covering enemy interests with a protection which nothing justifies.

If these views, which have also struck our Allies, appear to you to be well founded, I have the honor to submit for your approbation the following draft of a decree.

The President of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs } René Viviani
The Minister of Marine Victor Augagneur
[Enclosure 2–Translation]

Decree of October 23, 1915

The President of the French Republic, on the recommendation of the President of the Council, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and of the Minister of Marine, referring to the decree of November 6, 1914, decrees:

Article 1. The provisions of Article 57, paragraph 1, of the declaration signed at London, February 26, 1909, relating to naval warfare shall be applied during the present war with the following modifications, namely:

Whenever it is established that the interests vested in the ownership of a vessel flying the enemy flag belong in point of fact to nationals of a neutral or Allied country, or, conversely, that the interests vested in the ownership of a vessel flying a neutral or Allied flag belong in point of fact to nationals of an enemy country or to persons residing in an enemy country, the vessel shall accordingly be considered neutral, Allied, or enemy.

[Page 181]

Article 2. The President of the Council, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Marine, each within his jurisdiction, are charged with the execution of this decree.


R. Poincaré

By the President of the Republic:

The President of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs } René Viviani
The Minister of Marine Victor Augagneur

  1. Not printed.