Count be Bismarck to Versailles , January 13, January 13, 1871

[Translation.]

To the Northern German Legation, Washington, D. C.:

The treatment of German merchant ships by France obliges us to revoke the declaration made by us at the beginning of the war, “exempting all French merchant vessels, not carrying contraband of war articles, from capture by our war-vessels.”

As neutral property may have been shipped on board of French vessels in confidence of the above declaration, the new measure will not be carrried into effect until four weeks after this date.