Sailing vessels from Atlantic to Scandinavian ports pass westward of Ireland and St. Kilda, thence Faroe Islands to destination, passing northward by fifty miles of Shetland Islands. SKINNER. Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, London, May 19, 1915. SIR: Referring to my telegram of May 17, setting forth briefly the terms of a notice on navigation in the North Sea and English Channel received from the Trade Division of the Admiralty on that date, I have the honor to inclose herewith, in duplicate, a full copy of the circular, together with the Admiralty Notice to Mariners referred to in the said circular. I have, etc., ROBERT P. SKINNER. [Inclosure.] NAVIGATION IN THE NORTH SEA AND BRITISH HOME WATERS. The previous Notice on Navigation in the North Sea and English Channel (dated 30th November, 1914) is canceled. A.-GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. 1. Local Naval or Military Authorities may, at any time when they consider it necessary, close a port during certain hours without previous warning. 2. Before leaving ports in the United Kingdom Masters of Vessels should be careful to obtain the latest Admiralty Notices to Mariners. Attention is called to the Notice on the inside cover of all Admiralty Sailing Directions and their Supplements, and to the following Admiralty Notices to Mariners and any subsequent ones that may be issued: No. 1738 of 13th November, 1914. River Medway. No. 45 of 15th January, 1915. Yarmouth Roads. No. 137 of 22nd February, 1915. Irish Channel. North Channel. No. 165 of 8th March, 1915. River Humber Pilotage. No. 228 of 26th March, 1915. lished. No. 239 of 27th March, 1915. lish Channel. No. 258 of 3rd April, 1915. No. 274 of 7th April, 1915. Ports. No. 391 of 5th May, 1915. Flow. Dover Strait. Light Vessels estab North Sea, River Thames, and Eng Portland Harbour. Caution when approaching British Firth of Forth, Moray Firth, Scapa No. 408 of 8th May, 1915. River Tyne Boom Defence. Entrance Signals and Traffic Regulations. 3. Care must be taken at all times to ensure Masters being in possession of the latest Notices to Mariners. (Ad 4. Any lights may be extinguished and other aids to navigation removed or altered at any time without previous warning. miralty Notice to Mariners, No. 1627 of 9th October, 1914.) B.-MINES. 5. So far as is known at present there are, in addition to the mine fields mentioned in Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 391 of 5th May, 1915, the following principal mined areas: (a) Off the Tyne. (b) Off Flamborough Head. (c) Off Southwold (Southern limit 50° 54′ N.). (d) British mine field between Lat. 51° 15′ N. and Lat. 51° 40' N., and between Long. 1° 35' E. and Long. 3° E. C.-PASSAGES. GENERAL. 6. All vessels entering the North Sea from the English Channel must pass between the two Light vessels off Folkestone (see Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 228 of 1915), and proceed to the Downs, keeping inshore of an imaginary line joining the Southernmost of the two Light vessels to the South Goodwin Light vessel. Further instructions as to routes can be obtained in the Downs. 7. Vessels proceeding up or down the East Coast should keep within 3 miles of the coast when consistent with safe navigation. D.-PARTICULAR PASSAGES. (NOTE.-In each case the return voyage should be made on the same route.) 8. East Coast Ports to Channel and French Ports.-Proceed to the Downs following the directions in paragraph 7 and Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 239 of 1915. At the Downs further instructions will be obtained. 9. East Coast Ports to Dutch Ports.-Proceed as directed in paragraph 7 and Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 239 of 1915. Leave the English coast between the parallels 51° 40' N. and 51° 54' N.; proceed between these parallels as far as Longitude 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. 10. East Coast Ports to Scandinavian Ports.-Proceed as directed in paragraph 7 and Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 239 of 1915, as far as Farn Island; then steer for Lindesnaes and then to destination, keeping in territorial waters. The route from St. Abbs Head to Stavanger may be used as an alternative to the above route. 11. British and Allied vessels wishing to use the North-about route should apply to the Customs for directions. Neutral vessels wishing to use the North-about route should be informed that application for permission to do so must be obtained through their Diplomatic representatives, and that, failing such permission, they must proceed South-about. In no circumstances are vessels allowed to pass through the Minches or through the Pentland Firth. 12. Sailing Vessels from Atlantic to Scandinavian Ports.-Pass to Westward of Ireland and St. Kilda. Then make the Faroe Islands, and proceed thence to destination, passing to the Northward of the Shetland Islands, and keeping 50 miles from them. ADMIRALTY WAR STAFF, (TRADE DIVISION), 15th May, 1915. The Secretary of State to Ambassador W. H. Page. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 20, 1915. Admiralty announcement canceling notice on Navigation North Sea of November 30, 1914, cabled by Skinner May 17th, states that 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. Department does not fully understand the intention and effect underlying such regulations, and shall be glad to have an immediate report on the subject from you. Ambassador W. H. Page to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] BRYAN. AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, June 5, 1915. Following reply received to-day from Foreign Office: I did not fail to refer to the proper department of His Majesty's Government the notes which Your Excellency was good enough to address to me on the 22nd and 29th ultimo enquiring as to the Admiralty announcement canceling the notice on navigation in the North Sea of November 30, 1914. I have the honour to state in reply that the notice on navigation in the North Sea dated 15th May introduced no new regulations with regard to the northabout route. The notice was merely intended to summarize existing practice which has been evolved with the object of ensuring that trade passing northabout shall be limited in amount and reputable in character. Many applications for vessels to use the northabout route have been received through the Legations of the Scandinavian Powers in London and permission has been granted. I have the honour to add that any similar applications which may be made on behalf of United States vessels would of course receive equal treatment. PAGE. The Secretary of State ad interim to Ambassador W. H. Page. No. 1721.] [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 16, 1915. Mr. Lansing states that the inquiry in Department's May 20th is not fully answered in the note of June 5th from the British Foreign Office. The Department is at a loss to understand the British Government's object in regulating foreign vessel's courses on the high seas as for example in paragraphs 10, 11, and 12 of the general instructions of the fifteenth of May enclosed in despatch of May 19 from Consul General appears to be the case. Mr. Page is directed to press the British Foreign Office for a further explanation. Consul General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Hydrographic Department, Admiralty issue notice 525, warning mariners danger passing through Pas de Calais between Le Colbart (the ridge) and French coast. Vessels from North must wait off Calais for pilot or instructions, vessels from South must wait off Boulogne. Vessels not conforming above do so at their own peril. SKINNER. Ambassador W. H. Page to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] No. 2517.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, July 23, 1915. Your 1721, June 16. Following note received from Foreign Office, dated July 22: I did not fail to refer to the proper Department of his majesty's government the note which your excellency was so good as to address to me on the 18th ultimo regarding the Admiralty announcement canceling the notice on navigation in the North Sea on the 30th November, 1914. I have now the honour to inform your excellency that the action of His Majesty's Government in indicating routes to be followed by neutral merchant vessels in the vicinity of the British Isles and in the North Sea is based upon the fact that merchant vessels passing through the North Sea run very grave risk unless they act in strict accordance with the directions of the Admiralty. Before issuing such |