740.00112 European War 1939/158: Telegram
The Minister in the Netherlands (Gordon) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 28—12:43 p.m.]
201. My 176, September 15, 5 p.m., and Department’s 100, September 27, 8 p.m., substance of which I have conveyed to the Foreign Minister in the strictest confidence.
British detention of shipping having become increasingly vexatious, the Dutch have felt that they must take action on their own. Accordingly the Dutch Minister in London is being instructed to register through customary channels a general protest concerning the unreasonable delay and lack of efficient organization displayed by British shipping control officials. More specifically protest is to be made against British regulations which prohibit captains of ships detained in British waters from notifying their home office of their whereabouts; the British have even sought to stretch this to the extent of prohibiting Dutch Consuls in British seaports from notifying their Legation in London of the arrival of detained ships in such ports.