File No. 763.72111/4130
The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 16.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I duly informed His Majesty’s Government by telegraph of the contents of your unofficial letter of September 13, in regard to the mounting of a gun platform on board the British steamship Crewe Hall at the Brooklyn docks.
As you are no doubt aware, the mounting was subsequently dismantled, but Viscount Grey desires me to inform you that, in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government, Article 8 of the thirteenth convention of The Hague, 1907, is not strictly applicable to defensive armament such as is carried by some British merchant ships.
Believe me [etc.]