740.00112 European War 1939/350: Telegram
The Minister in the Netherlands (Gordon) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 21—9:48 a.m.]
234. Foreign Office yesterday evening received a note from the German Government warning that if Dutch merchant vessels should accept the convoy of a hostile belligerent they will be treated as enemy vessels.
The local press of yesterday afternoon carried Berlin D. N. B. reports referring to British efforts to arrange for convoying neutral merchant vessels. It is to be noted, however, that the Netherlands Government has not received any offer from the British Government for the convoying of Dutch merchant vessels. Apparently the only thing approaching an offer or even suggestion of British convoys for neutral merchantmen was the following passage in Churchill’s radio broadcast of October 1: “I hope the day will come when the Admiralty will be able to invite ships of all nations to join the British convoys and insure them on their voyages at a reasonable rate.”
On the other hand the German note apparently contains nothing that is not in accordance with sound international law.