File No. 763.72/7215
The Minister in Norway ( Schmedeman) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 11, 1.20 a.m.]
338. Referring to my despatch of April 28 last, No. 370.3 The following note verbale dated October 9 has been received from the Foreign Office: [Page 558]
The armed merchant steamer Ida of New York has recently, although not bound for a Norwegian port, passed along the Norwegian coast with a crew on board consisting of a petty officer and 12 sailors belonging to the United States Navy.
In this connection the Foreign Office has the honor to announce in regard to gun crews on board such ships—while referring to Minister for Foreign Affairs’ communication to Mr. Albert G. Schmedeman, of April 26 last—that it is important, in order that the ships may be considered as merchant vessels, that the appearance of such crews on board should have a civilian character in that all the members wear civilian clothes, that they be subject to the master’s command and be entered on the crew’s list.
- Not printed.↩