Paris Peace Conf. 840.48/1
His Majesty’s Ambassador presents his compliments to Colonel House and has
the honour to enclose herein, for the information of the President of the
United States, a copy of a note which he has addressed
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to the French Government, under instructions
from His Majesty’s Government, relative to the control of the mercantile
shipping of Germany. The Earl of Derby is to express the hope that the
President will see fit to instruct the American Representative on the Naval
Armistice Committee at Wilhelmshaven to press Germany to place her
mercantile shipping immediately at the disposal of the Allies for use by
them on the conditions stated in the enclosed note.
[Enclosure]
Copy of a Note From the British
Embassy in France to the French
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
His Majesty’s Embassy has the honour, under telegraphic instructions from
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to call the attention of the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the urgent necessity of obtaining as
soon as possible, control of the merchant shipping of Germany, and of
placing it at the disposal of the Allies, that is, of France, Great
Britain, Italy, and the United States: The armistice agreement contains
no provision enabling the Allies to secure the shipping, and the Allied
Governments would doubtless agree that the making of any arrangements
with Germany whereby the Allies would undertake, in return for obtaining
this shipping, to provide food and supplies to the extent of the
carrying capacity of the German shipping thus acquired, is out of the
question.
The desirable terms for the Allies for the surrender of these ships would
be that they should be placed unconditionally at their disposal pending
further arrangements, but if such terms were refused by Germany, unless
accompanied by certain undertakings to be given by the Allies for the
provision of relief, it appears advisable that such undertakings, which
should not be definite, should be to the following effect:
The Allies intend to take steps to secure that Germany obtains such food
supplies as in their judgment appear necessary; the quantities of such
supplies, the terms on which they are to be provided, and other matters
connected with the question, must be the subject of careful
investigation and consideration. The essential condition to be proposed
to Germany must be that she should at once, and without waiting for the
settlement of the quantities and terms, place all available merchant
ships at the disposal of the Allies. Germany should accordingly, in the
first place, deliver all vessels now idle in German ports and ready for
sea, in addition to those vessels which are to be delivered under
previous arrangement in the matter of the repatriation of prisoners.
Secondly, Germany should make ready for sea any
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vessels requiring repairs, with, a view to their
delivery to the Allies; thirdly, she is to deliver to them such vessels
in the Baltic and in neighbouring waters as the Allies may, on further
consideration decide; and fourthly, she should take steps to facilitate
the delivery to the Allies of German vessels in neutral ports.
The delivery of vessels under the first of the above cited conditions
should be an essential prior condition of the commencement of measures
of relief. It is intended that the vessels comprised under this first
condition shall be delivered by the Germans at a meeting-place to be
specified by the Allies, where they are to be manned by crews of the
Allied nations in accordance with arrangements to be made by the Allied
Naval Authorities, whilst the German crews are to be repatriated. The
vessels, after surrender, are to fly the flag of the Ally providing the
crew, in addition to the House flag of the Allied Maritime Transport
Council. They will be employed under the direction of the Allies for any
purpose, whether carrying supplies to enemy countries, to liberated
areas, or to allied countries. The food sent to Germany, which is not to
be based on any mathematical proportion of the carrying capacity of the
surrendered shipping, will be sent in either German or Allied vessels,
as may be convenient.
In the making of the arrangements here suggested, it appears advisable
that it should be clearly understood that such arrangements for the use
and employment of German Merchant shipping during the armistice, have no
bearing whatever on the ultimate disposition of the ships, the which is
to be determined by the terms of peace.
In bringing the above suggestions to the notice of the French Government
for their consideration at their very early convenience, His Majesty’s
Embassy is to ask that the French Government, if they see no objection,
will instruct their representatives on the Naval Armistice Committee at
Wilhelmshaven to press Germany to place her mercantile shipping at the
disposal of the Allies for employment by them on the conditions
indicated in this note.
Paris, December 15,
1918.
