3. All lights may be extinguished and other aids to navigation removed or altered at any time without previous warning. B. MINES. 4. So far as is known at present there are, in addition to the minefields mentioned in Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 1752 of 1914, the following principal mined areas: (a) Off the Tyne. (b) Off Flamborough Head. (c) Off Southwold (southern limit 51° 54′ N.). (d) British minefield within Lat. 51° 15′ N. and 51° 40' N., Long. 1° 35' E. and 3° E. C. SPECIAL INFORMATION AS TO ENGLISH CHANNEL AND DOWNS. 5. On and after the 10th December lights, buoys, and fog signals in the English Channel and the Downs eastward of a line joining Selsey Bill and Cape Barfleur and south of the parallel 51° 20' N., will be liable to extinction or alteration without further notice. Trinity House pilot stations will be established as follows by the 10th December: St. Helens, Isle of Wight: Where ships proceeding up Channel can obtain pilots capable of piloting as far as Great Yarmouth. Great Yarmouth: Where ships from the North Sea bound for the English Channel or intermediate ports can obtain pilots capable of piloting as far as the Isle of Wight. Dover: Where ships from French Channel Ports, but no other, can obtain pilots for the North Sea. The Sunk Light Vessel: Where ships crossing the North Sea between the parallels 51° 40' N. and 51° 54' N., but no others, can obtain pilots for the English Channel. Pilots also can be obtained at London for the Channel and the North Sea. 6. Both before and after the above date (10th December, 1914) all vessels entering the North Sea from the Channel, or vice versa, must pass through the Downs, where they will be given directions as to their route. D. PASSAGES-GENERAL. 7. On and after 10th December, 1914, vessels proceeding up or down Channel eastward of the Isle of Wight are very strongly advised to take pilots, as navigation will be exceedingly dangerous without their aid (see paragraph 5). 8. Vessels proceeding up or down the East Coast should keep within 3 miles of the coast when consistent with safe navigation. The only exception to this is when passing the mouth of the Tyne. Here all vessels should pass not less than 4 miles but not more than 8 miles from the coast between Sunderland and Blyth. Vessels bound to the Tyne must take a pilot off one of the above ports, as stated in Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 1752 of 1914. E. PARTICULAR PASSAGES. (NOTE.-In each case return voyages should be made on same routes.) 9. East Coast Ports to French Ports: See paragraphs 5, 6, and 8. 10. East Coast Ports to Dutch Ports: Proceed as directed in paragraphs 5 and 8. Leave the English coast between the parallels of 51° 40' N. and 51° 45' N.; proceed between these parallels as far as long. 3° E., shape course thence to destination. Vessels using this route (which passes between the British and German mine fields) must clearly understand that they do so entirely at their own risk. 11. East Coast Ports to Scandinavian or Danish Ports: Proceed as directed in paragraphs 5 and 8 as far as Farn Island; then steer for the vicinity of Lindesnaes, and thence to destination, keeping in territorial waters. 12. From Atlantic and Irish Ports or Ports on the South or West Coasts of Great Britain to Scandinavian or Danish Ports: Proceed via English Channel, being guided by paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11. 13. Sailing vessels bound to Scandinavian or Danish Ports: Pass to Westward of Ireland and of St. Kilda. Then make the Faroe Islands, and proceed from thence to destination, keeping 50 miles to the north of the Shetland Islands. 14. All vessels bound from East Coast Ports to West Coast Ports in the United Kingdom, and vice versa, must pass through the English Channel, and not round the north of Scotland. By direction of my Government I have the honor to communicate the following to Your Excellency. It is known to the Imperial Government that Great Britain is on the point of shipping to France large forces of troops and quantities of implements of war. Germany will oppose this shipment with every war means at its command. As peaceful craft may be, from being mistaken for vessels engaged in war operations, exposed to serious danger, the Imperial Government is placed under the necessity of warning of such danger vessels approaching the North and West Coasts of France. Merchant vessels repairing to the North Sea are advised to steer around Scotland. Accept, etc., For the Imperial Ambassador: HANIEL. Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Mariners warned navigation entirely forbidden to all ships of area in Irish Channel bounded on northwest by line joining latitude 55 degrees 222 minutes, longitude six degrees 17 minutes and latitude 55 degrees 31 minutes, longitude 6 degrees 02 minutes bounded on southeast by line joining latitude 55 degrees 101⁄2 minutes longitude 5 degrees 242 minutes and latitude 55 02 minutes longitude 5 degrees 402 minutes bounded southwest by line from first described to fourth described point bounded northeast by line from second described to third described point. All traffic wishing to proceed through North Channel must pass southward of Rathlin Island between sunset and sunrise. No. 615.] Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State. SKINNER. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, March 2, 1915. SIR: With reference to my telegram No. 17191 of the 1st instant, I have the honor to enclose to you herewith a copy in translation of a 'Not printed. Gives substance of inclosure herewith. Note Verbale received from the Imperial Foreign Office, dated February 28, 1915, relative to the extent of the war area proclaimed by the German Admiralty. I have, etc., JAMES W. GERARD. [Inclosure-Translation.] FOREIGN OFFICE, Nr. III a 4333 26052 NOTE VERBALE. With reference to its Note Verbale of the 4th instant,1 the Foreign Office has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United States of America, in order to avoid any doubts as to the northward extent of the war area defined in the proclamation of the Chief of the Admiralty Staff of the same day, that the waters surrounding the Orkneys and the Shetlands belong to the war area, but that navigation on both sides of the Faroe Isles is not endangered. The Foreign Office begs the Embassy of the United States of America to be good enough to inform its Government of the above by cable and to notify the Governments of Great Britain, Japan, and Servia accordingly. BERLIN, February 28, 1915. TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Admiralty renews urgent warning to vessels to take London Trinity house pilot when navigating between Great Yarmouth and English Channel. While danger areas are publicly defined, Admiralty add, "it must not be supposed that navigation is necessarily safe in any part of the southern waters of North Sea." 1 See Special Supplement, 1915, p. 84. SKINNER. Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Admiralty cancels notice on navigation North Sea dated November thirtieth, nineteen fourteen. Masters are strongly urged to obtain latest notices before sailing from British ports. Lights may be extinguished and other changes made without previous warning. In addition to mine fields in Firth of Forth, Moray Firth and Scapa Flow following are principal mined areas as far as known: (A) off Tyne; (B) off Flamborough Head; (C) off Southwold, southern limit fiftyone degrees fifty-four minutes N. D. (?); British mine field between latitude fifty-one degrees fifteen minutes N.; and latitude fifty-one degrees forty minutes N.; and between longitude one degree thirtyfour minutes E., and longitude three degrees E. All vessels entering North Sea from English Channel must pass between two light vessels off Folkestone, proceed to Downs, keeping inshore imaginary line joining southernmost of the two light vessels to the South Goodwin light vessel; further instructions in Downs. Vessels proceeding up or down east coast should keep within three miles of coast when consistent with safe navigation. Vessels from east coast ports to Channel and French ports should proceed to Downs, keeping within three miles of coast, and follow Admiralty notice to mariners 239; at Downs further instructions will be obtained. Vessels from east coast ports to Dutch ports should keep within three miles of coast, leaving English coast between the parallels fifty-one degrees forty minutes north, and fiftyone degrees fifty-four minutes north, proceeding between these parallels as far as longitude three degrees east, shaping course thence to destination; this route passes between British and German mine fields and vessels proceed at their own risk. Vessels from east coast to Scandinavian ports should keep within three miles of coast, and proceed according to Admiralty notice 239, as far as Farne Island, then steer for Lindesnaes and thence to destination, keeping in territorial waters. Route from St. Abbs Head to Stavanger may be used as alternative. British and allied vessels wishing to use northabout route should apply to Customs, and neutral vessels must apply for permission through their foreign representatives, and failing such permission proceed southabout, |