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tended to replace notice quoted my telegram 5544, January twentyfifth, 1917:

North Sea. Caution with regard to dangerous area. Caution. In view of the unrestricted warfare carried on by Germany at sea by means of mines and submarines not only against the Allied Powers but also against neutral shipping and the fact that merchant ships are constantly sunk without regard to the ultimate safety of their crews, His Majesty's Government give notice that on and after the seventh February, 1917, the undermentioned area in the North Sea will be rendered dangerous to all shipping by operations against the enemy and it should therefore be avoided.

Dangerous Area. The area comprising all the waters except Netherland and Danish territorial waters lying to the southward and eastward of a line commencing four miles from the coast of Jutland in latitude fifty-six degrees north longitude eight degrees east and passing through the following positions: Latitude fifty-six degrees north longitude six degrees east and latitude fifty-four degrees fortyfive minutes north longitude four degrees thirty minutes east thence to a position in latitude fifty-three degrees twenty-seven minutes north longitude five degrees east seven miles from the coast of The Netherlands.

To meet the needs of the coastal traffic which can not strictly confine itself to territorial waters owing navigational difficulties, it will be safe to navigate between the coast of Jutland and a line passing through the following positions: Latitude fifty-six degrees north longitude eight degrees east latitude fifty-five degrees forty minutes north longitude eight degrees east latitude fifty-five degrees thirtysix minutes north longitude seven degrees fifteen minutes east latitude fifty-five degrees thirty-two minutes north longitude seven degrees fifteen minutes east latitude fifty-five degrees twenty-two minutes north longitude seven degrees forty-five minutes east latitude fifty-five degrees nineteen minutes north longitude eight degrees four minutes east latitude fifty-five degrees twenty-two minutes north longitude eight degrees nineteen minutes east which is three miles from the coast of Fano Island.

Also a safe passage will be left along the Netherland coast southward of a line joining the following positions: Latitude fiftythree degrees twenty-seven minutes north longitude five degrees east latitude fifty-three degrees thirty-one and half minutes north longitude five degrees thirty minutes east latitude fifty-three degrees thirty-four minutes north longitude six degrees east latitude fiftythree degrees thirty-nine minutes north longitude six degrees twentythree minutes east.

PAGE.

The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador.

No. 1485.]

EXCELLENCY:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 19, 1917.

From time to time during the present war, as Your Excellency is aware, the Government of His Britannic Majesty have given notice of certain delimited areas of the high seas, designated as "military areas" or "danger areas," within which merchant shipping of all kinds, fishing craft, and all other vessels, were warned that they would be subject to the gravest dangers from mines laid by His Majesty's Government, and from hostile operations, and that they would enter such waters at their peril. This matter was referred to in the Department's memorandum of August 13, 1914, and has been the subject of subsequent correspondence between the American Ambassador at London and the British Foreign Office.

As the question of appropriating certain portions of the high seas for military operations, to the exclusion of the use of the hostile area as a common highway of commerce, has not become a settled principle of international law assented to by the family of nations, it will be recognized that the Government of the United States must, and hereby does, for the protection of American interests, reserve generally all of its rights in the premises, including the right not only to question the validity of these measures, but to present demands and claims in relation to any American interests which may be unlawfully affected, directly or indirectly, by virtue of the enforcement of these

measures.

Accept, etc.,

ROBERT LANSING.

Ambassador W. H. Page to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, March 23, 1917.

My telegram 5701, February fifteenth.

Foreign Office in note dated March twenty-first state:

As from the first April, 1917, the dangerous area will comprise all the waters except Dinish and Netherlands territorial waters

lying to the southward and eastward of a line commencing three miles from the coast of Jutland on the parallel of latitude fifty-six degrees north and passing through the following positions:

One. Latitude fifty-six degrees north, longitude six degrees east. Two. Latitude fifty-four degrees forty-five minutes north, longitude four degrees thirty minutes east.

Three. Latitude fifty-three degrees twenty-three minutes north, longitude five degrees one minute east.

Four. Latitude fifty-three degrees twenty-five minutes north, longitude five degrees five and half minutes east, and thence to the eastward following the limit of Netherlands territorial waters.

PAGE.

The Minister of Switzerland in charge of German interests in America to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF SWITZERLAND,
Washington, March 23, 1917.1

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE:

The Political Department, Division of Foreign Affairs, instructs me and I have hereby the honor to notify the Government of the United States as follows:

The Imperial German Government to-day gave notice of an extension of the submarine blockade, according to which it will henceforth and without further notice oppose by every means in its power any navigation whatsoever of the waters of the Arctic Ocean lying east and south of the seventy-fifth degree of latitude north, with the exception of the Norwegian territorial waters. Neutral vessels navigating that zone would do so at their risk and peril. Steps, however, have been taken directing that neutral vessels already on their way to ports within the newly prohibited zone or intending to leave those ports should not until the 5th of April be attacked without previous warning. P. RITTER.

Be pleased, etc.,

1 Received.

The Minister of Switzerland in charge of German interests in America to the Secretary of State.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE:

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF SWITZERLAND,
Washington, March 24, 1917.

In continuation of my note of yesterday I am asked and I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that, according to a telegram received this day from the Political Department, the German Government's notice of the blockade of the Arctic Ocean is to be completed as follows:

The blockaded waters east of the 24th degree of longitude east and south of the seventy-fifth degree of latitude north.

Be pleased, etc.,

P. RITTER.

Minister Egan to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Copenhagen, April 8, 1917.

On August 8, 1914, Foreign Office here published the following notice to mariners: The German Government has issued the following warning to mariners: Vessels are cautioned against approaching places from which attacks from hostile fleets may be expected or harbors and roadsteads from which embarkation of troops may be made, as mines may have been sown in such places.

EGAN.

Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL,

London, April 27, 1917.

Admiralty Notice 434, dated April twenty-sixth, cancels number 319. entitled caution with regard to dangerous area. New notice

repeats former preamble and states that on and after May 3, 1917, will be further extended as undermentioned.

Dangerous area: The area comprising all the waters except Netherlands and Danish territorial waters lying to the southward and eastward of a line commencing three miles from the coast of Jutland on the parallel of latitude 56 degrees 00 minutes north, and passing through the following positions: First. Latitude 56 degrees 00 minutes north, longitude 6 degrees 00 minutes east. Second. Latitude 54 degrees 45 minutes north, longitude 4 degrees 30 minutes east. Third. Latitude 53 degrees 15 minutes north, longitude 4 degrees 30 minutes east. Fourth. Latitude 53 degrees 23 minutes north, longitude 4 degrees 50 minutes east. Fifth. Latitude 53 degrees 23 minutes north, longitude 5 degrees 01 minute east. Sixth. Latitude 53 degrees 25 minutes north, longitude 5 degrees 052 minutes east, and from thence to the eastward, following the limit of Netherlands territorial waters.

SKINNER.

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