DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

MARITIME DANGER ZONES AND MINE
AREAS.
File No. 763.72/257.
Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State.
[Telegram—Paraphrase. ]
AMERICAN EMBASSY,
Berlin, August 7, 1914-
Mr. Gerard reports that he is informed by the German
Foreign Office that German ports are strewn with mines,
and it is requested that timely warning be given shippers
against navigating in ports which foreign forces might
use as bases.
File No. 763.72/566.
Memorandum from the British Embassy.
His Majesty's Charg6 d'Affaires presents his compliments
to the Secretary of State and has the honour to
communicate to him the following telegram which he
received last night from the Foreign Office:
"The Germans are scattering contact mines indiscriminately
about the North Sea in the open sea without
regard to the consequences to merchantmen. Two days
ago four large merchant ships were observed to pass
within a mile of the minefield which sank H. M. S.
Amphion. The waters of the North Sea must therefore
be regarded as perilous in the last degree to merchant
shipping of all nations. In view of the methods adopted
by Germany the British Admiralty must hold themselves
fully at liberty to adopt similar measures in self-defence
which must inevitably increase the dangers to navigation
in the North Sea. But, before doing so, they think it
right to issue this warning in order that merchant ships
under neutral flags trading with North Sea ports should
be turned back before entering the area of such exceptional
danger.
BRITISH EMBASSY,
Washington, August 11, 1914.
File No. 763.72/566.
Memorandum to the British Embassy.
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to
His Britannic Majesty's Charge' d'Affaires and acknowledges
the receipt of his Memorandum of August 11, 1914,
communicating a telegram received by him from the
Foreign Office stating that the Germans are scattering
contact mines indiscriminately in the open waters of the
North Sea without regard to the consequences to merchantmen,
thus rendering these waters perilous to the
shipping of all nations, and that in view of the methods
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