File No. 763.72111/564
The British Ambassador ( Spring Rice) to the Counselor for the Department of State
Washington, October 24, 1914.
[Received October 27.]
Dear Mr. Counsellor: Information has reached His Majesty’s Government that the firm of Moore, San Francisco, is supplying coal [Page 628] to German cruisers at Guaymas by means of steamers chartered by him and consigned to his agent Martinez at Guaymas. Amongst other vessels recently chartered by him for this purpose was the British steamer Bankdale, which took 6,000 tons. Moore is stated to be using the railway plant at Guaymas to store his coal. There is evidence that he has already coaled the Leipzig in this way and still has coal stored there.
The case of the Mazatlan, which supplied coal to the German cruisers in a similar manner, will be readily recalled, and I have the honour, under instructions from my Government, to call your attention to this specific instance of a firm at San Francisco which is using a port in Mexico as a base or a pretext for supplying belligerent vessels with coal shipped from a United States port.
In bringing the above facts and considerations to your knowledge, I have the honour to request that they may be submitted to the proper department of the United States Government with a view to such action as may appear necessary in view of the established principles of international law.
I am [etc.]