Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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AN UNUSUAL RESPONSE: A NEUTRAL CONVOY
Within the highly-strained atmosphere of March 1918, Queen Wilhelmina saw an
opportunity to reclaim some dignity for her country and asseli its capacity for independent
action. In April 1918, the Minister in Charge of the Navy, J. J. Rambonnet, announced to
parliament that the Queen endorsed a plan to send a convoy of ships to the Netherlands'
East Indies. 148 The convoy would consist of merchant vessels canying government goods
and passengers, and would be accompanied by warships. 149 No commercial cargo would be
allowed on board, to ensure that none of the belligerents had reason to inspect the
vessels. ISO The proposal posed several difficulties. Not only did the convoy have to traverse
dangerous stretches of international seas, it also had to pass through the Allied blockade.
The Dutch had to get an agreement from all belligerents as well as all countries whose
waters the convoy wished to use. IS! A major issue arose over whether sending a military
convoy compromised neutrality. While the warships would protect merchant vessels from
attack, if a foreign vessel fired at the convoy, it was effectively declaring war on the
Netherlands. If the Navy undeliook any questionable actions on the journey to the Indies, it
could bring the Netherlands into the war. FUlihermore, Britain was adamant that neutrals
could not send convoys since, by definition, convoy applied only to belligerents. ls2
The ambiguities involved in the convoy issue made many Netherlanders wary of
the idea, especially as it strained already tense Anglo-Dutch relations. While Gennany and
the United States agreed to let the convoy sail, Britain was entirely reluctant to allow the
convoy through its blockade. For their pati, the Dutch were unwilling to give Britain access
to their warships and did not want to be unduly detained in a foreign port. During the
negotiations, the Dutch govermnent trod dangerous ground. Britain saw the convoy as a
"deliberate attempt to break the blockade", which, if allowed, would set a dangerous
precedent for other continental nations. IS3 It believed it could not give up a right of "search
and visit", which it had upheld for centuries, and, therefore, the sailing date was repeatedly
148 For more details on the Dutch convoy see: Watson, "Britain's Dutch Policy" pp. 196 - 207.
149 Colenbrander, Studien en Aantekeningen over Nederlandsche PolWek pp. 302 - 305; Watson, "Britain's Dutch
Policy" p. 196; Porter, "Dutch Neutrality" p. 157.
150 "Notulen van de Ministerraad" [Notes from the cabinet meeting] 5 and 12 April 1918, in Smit (ed.), Besclleiden
betrefJende de buitenlandsche politiek van Nederland 1848 - 1919. Derde Periode 1899 - 1919. Vijfde deel, 1917-
1919. Eerste stukpp. 438 -439, 444; Watson, "Britain's Dutch Policy" p. 199.
151 Vandenbosch, The Neutrality of the Netherlands pp. 259 - 260.
152 Ibid. p. 36.
153 Watson, "Britain's Dutch Policy" p. 198.