must be given in writing that he will not serve, after the conclusion of the voyage for which the pass is issued, on any enemy ship while hostilities last. No undertaking is to be required from members of the crev who are of neutral nationality.

Officers or members of the crev declining to give the undertakings required by this article will be detained as prisoners of war.

And the lords.commissioners of His Majesty's treasury, the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, and each of His Majesty's principal secretaries of state, and all governors, officers, and authorities v hom it may concern are to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain.

ALMERIC FITZROY.

Notification of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs as to the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes in German ports. On the night of August 4, 1914, the Secretary of State received the following notice from the German ambassador:

"The Imperial Government will keep merchant vessels flying the British flag interned in German harbors, but will liberate them if the Imperial Government receive a counter undertaking from the British Government within forty-eight hours."

On August 5 a copy of the order in council issued on August 4 as to the treatment of enemy merchant vessels in British ports at the date of the outbreak of hostilities was communicated to the ambassador of the United States in London, who was then in charge of German interests in this country, with a request that he would be so good as to cause inquiry to be made of the German Government as to whether the terms of articles 3 to 8 of the order in council constituted an undertaking of the nature the German Government required, and under which they would liberate merchant vessels flying the British flag interned in German harbors.

On August 7 a communication was received from the United States embassy that the United States minister at Stockholm had sent the following telegram signed by the United States ambassador at Berlin:

"Please state if England has issued proclamation that she gives permission to enemy ships to leave British ports until midnight, August 14. If this is so, Germany will issue corresponding orders. Reply through German legation, Stockholm."

The United States embassy added that they did not believe that this telegram was a reply to the message which had been transmitted to Berlin.

On inquiry at the United States embassy shortly before midnight it was ascertained that no further communication had been received from Berlin.

The secretary of state for foreign affairs has therefore no information as to the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes in German ports, and has accordingly addressed the undermentioned notification to the lords commissioners of the treasury and to the lords commissioners of the Admiralty.

FOREIGN OFFICE, S. W.,

Midnight, August 7, 1914. MY LORDS: I have the honor to state that no information has reached me that the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes which were in German ports at the date of the outbreak of hostilities or which subsequently entered them is not less favorable than that accorded to enemy merchant ships by articles 3 to 8 of the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to enemy ships being in British ports at the outbreak of hostilities or subsequently entering them. Articles 3 to 8 of the said order in council will therefore not come into operation.

I have the honor to be, my lords,

Your lordships' most obedient, humble servant,

(Signed)

(British Manual of Emergency Legislation, 1914, p. 138.)

E. GREY.

GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

Notification of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs as to the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes in Austro-Hungarian ports.

The secretary of state for foreign affairs has received information of a nature to satisfy him that the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes in Austro-Hungarian ports is not less favorable than that accorded to Austro-Hungarian merchant ships and their cargoes in British ports, and he has accordingly addressed the undermentioned notification to the lords commissioners of the treasury and to the lords commissioners of the admiralty.

FOREIGN OFFICE, S. W.,
August 15, 1914.

MY LORDS: I have the honor to state that information has reached me of a nature to satisfy me that the treatment accorded to British merchant ships and their cargoes which were in Austro-Hungarian ports at the date of the outbreak of hostilities, or which subsequently entered them, is not less favorable than that accorded by articles 3 to 8 of the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to enemy ships being in British ports at the outbreak of hostilities or subsequently entering them, which was extended so as to apply to Austro-Hungarian merchant ships by His Majesty's proclamation issued on the 12th day of August, 1914.

Articles 3 to 8 of the said order in council, as extended by the proclamation dated the 12th August, 1914, will therefore come into full force and effect with regard to Austro-Hungarian merchant ships.

I have the honor to be, my lords,

Your lordships' most obedient, humble servant,

(Signed)

(British Manual of Emergency Legislation, 1914, p. 142.)

E. GREY.

By the royal proclamation of August 12, 1914, it was declared:

3. (1) In the order in council issued with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which subsequently entered the same, the word "enemy," as applied to either ships or cargo, shall be deemed as from this date to include Austro-Hungarian ships or cargo.

(2) In the application of this article to Austro-Hungarian ships the date Saturday, the 15th day of August, shall be substituted for the date mentioned in article 2 of the said order in council, and the date Saturday, the 22d day of August, shall be substituted for the date mentioned in article 3 of the said order in council. (Ibid, p. 98.)

By the King.

GREAT BRITAIN AND BULGARIA.

A proclamation extending to the war with Bulgaria the proclamations and orders in council now in force relating to the war.

GEORGE R. I.

Whereas owing to the King of the Bulgarians, an ally of the central powers, being now in a state of war with the King of Serbia, our ally, a state of war now exists between us and the King of the Bulgarians;

And whereas on the 4th day of August, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the German Emperor;

And whereas we did on the same date and on certain other dates subsequent thereto issue certain proclamations and orders in council connected with such state of war;

And whereas on the 12th day of August, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary;

And whereas certain of the aforesaid proclamations and orders in council have since been extended so as to cover the state of war between us and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary;

And whereas on the 5th day of November, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the Sultan of Turkey;

And whereas certain of the aforesaid proclamations and orders in council have since been extended so as to cover the state of war between us and the Sultan of Turkey;1

And whereas we have since the said 5th day of November, 1914, issued certain other proclamations and orders in council with reference

1 By the royal proclamation of Nov. 5, 1914, it was declared among other matters that

"Whereas the convention relating to the status of enemy merchant vessels at the outbreal. of hostilities signed at The Hague on the 18th October, 1907, has not been ratified by the Sultan of Turkey, and therefore we do not think fit to extend to Turkish ships the order in council issued the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which su usequently entered the same," etc.

to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Sultan of Turkey;

And whereas it is desirable now to provide for the state of war between us and the King of the Bulgarians;

And whereas the convention relating to the status of enemy merchant vessels at the outbreak of hostilities, signed at The Hague on the 18th day of October, 1907, has not been ratified by the King of the Bulgarians, and therefore we do not think fit to extend to Bulgarian ships the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which subsequently entered the same:

Now, therefore, we have thought fit, by and with the advice of our privy council, to issue this our royal proclamation declaring, and it is hereby declared, as follows:

1. The proclamations and orders in council issued with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, or with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, or with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Sultan of Turkey, other than the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilitics were in any such ports, or which subsequently entered the same, shall, if still in force, apply to the state of war between us and the King of the Bulgarians as from this 16th day of October, 1915.

2. The proclamation issued on the 5th day of August, 1914, warning all our subjects, and all persons resident or being in our dominions, from contributing to or participating in, or assisting in the floating of any loan raised on behalf of the German Government, or from advancing money to or entering into any contract or dealings whatsoever with the said Government, or otherwise aiding, abetting, or assisting the said Government, shall be deemed as from this 16th day of October, 1915, to apply to all loans raised on behalf of, or contracts or dealings entered into with, or to aiding, abetting, or assisting the Bulgarian Government. 3. The words "enemy country" in any of the proclamations or orders in council referred to in article 1 of this proclamation shall include the dominions of the King of the Bulgarians, and the words "persons of enemy nationality” in any of the said proclamations or orders in council shall include subjects of the King of the Bulgarians. Given at our court at Buckingham Palace, this 16th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1915, and in the sixth year of our reign. God save the King.

(London Gazette, Supplement, Oct. 15, 1915.)

GERMANY AND FRANCE.

DÉCLARATION DE GUERRE DE L'ALLEMAGNE À LA FRANCE

1914.

DU 3 AOÛT

Lettre de M. Schoen, ambassadeur d'Allemagne en France, à M. René Viviani, président du conseil des ministres, ministre des affaires étrangères.

"MONSIEUR LE PRÉSIDENT:

"Les autorités administratives et militaires allemandes ont constaté un certain nombre d'actes d'hostilité caractérisée commis sur territoire allemand par des aviateurs français. Plusieurs de ces derniers ont manifestement violé la neutralité de la Belgique survolant le territoire de ce pays. L'un a essayé de détruire des constructions près de Wesel, d'autres ont été aperçus sur la région de l'Eiffel, un autre a jeté des bombes sur le chemin de fer près de Karlsruhe et de Nuremberg.

"Je suis chargé et j'ai l'honneur de faire connaître à Votre Excellence qu'en présence de ces agressions, l'Empire allemand se considère en état de guerre avec la France du fait de cette dernière puissance.

"J'ai en mème temps l'honneur de porter à la connaissance de Votre Excellence que les autorités allemandes retiendront les navires marchands français dans des ports allemands, mais qu'elles les relâcheront si, dans les quarante-huit heures, la réciprocité complète est assurée. "Ma mission diplomatique ayant ainsi pris fin, il ne me reste plus qu'à prier Votre Excellence de vouloir bien me munir de mes passeports et de prendre les mesures qu'elle jugerait utiles pour assurer mon retour en Allemagne avec le personnel de l'ambassade ainsi qu'avec le personnel de la légation de Bavière et du consulat général d'Allemagne à Paris.

"Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Président, l'expression de ma très haute considération.

Décret du 4 août 1914 relatif aux navires de commerce allemands se trovant actuellement dans les ports français.

ART. 1. Les navires de commerce allemands se trouvant actuellement dans les ports français depuis et y compris le 3 août 1914, à dixhuit heures quarante-cinq minutes, ou y entrant sans connaître les hostilités, auront, à partir de la date du présent décret, un délai de sept jours francs pour en sortir librement, et gagner directement, après avoir été munis d'un laissez-passer, leur port de destination ou tel autre port qui leur sera désigné par les autorités maritimes du port français où ils se trouvent.

Par suite de la reserve faite par le gouvernement allemand aux articles 3 et 4, alinéa 2, de la convention VI de la Haye de 1907, le bénéfice de la disposition précédente ne s'applique pas aux navires allemands qui ont quitté leur dernier port de départ avant le 3 août 1914, à dix-huit heures quarante-cinq minutes, et qui sont rencontrés en mer, ignorant les hostilités.