File No. 763.72/1308
The Ambassador in Turkey (Morgenthau) to the Secretary of State
Constantinople, December 13, 1914, 11 p.m.
[Received December 15, 8:15 a.m.]
[Telegram]
155. Italian Embassy informed that Ottoman authorities at Hodeida after arresting French Consul attempted November 11 to arrest British Vice Consul who took refuge in Italian Consulate. Thereupon Ottoman military forces [?] surrounded Italian Consulate, police forced Consulate, discharged revolvers, wounded kavass, refused Italian Consul time to obtain instructions from his Government. British Vice Consul surrendered. The Governor General Hodeida informed Italian Consul that he would no longer be recognized as such, accused him of firing at Ottoman troops, which the Consul emphatically denies. Italian Consul prevented from leaving his house and deprived of all communication until December 3 when Italian war vessel Guiliana arrived, prevented his trial fixed for that day and took him on board. Instructed by its Government Italian Embassy upon extraterritoriality of the Consulate General demanded public reparation in such shape as it will determine, and that Italian Consul return to his post unmolested; that wounded kavass receive indemnity; that British Vice Consul be released and permitted to go to Aden; that postal and telegraphic communications between Consul and Italian Government be assured.
Italian Ambassador requests my cooperating in securing release of British Vice Consul.