File No. 763.72112/4647
The British Ambassador ( Spring Rice ) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honour to refer to my note No. 249 of August 182 last on the subject of the proposed notice to be issued in the neutral European press regarding the conditions under which banking houses in Allied countries would in future have dealings with banking houses in the respective neutral countries of Europe.
I have now received a telegram from His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to the effect that His Majesty’s [Page 942] Government regard these proposals as a matter of the greatest urgency, and that they have information that makes them confident that if their proposals are promptly adopted and applied, they will have a powerful effect in tightening the blockade by lowering the value of the mark and affecting the morale of Germany.
I am accordingly instructed to enquire whether your Government would agree to co-operate with the other Allied Governments in the measure outlined in my note above referred to. His Majesty’s Government are anxious to learn the views of the United States Government at the earliest possible moment.
I have [etc.]