Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 60 Part 2.djvu/819

 Objectives. Responsibility of Commander-in. Chief. Use of powers of military requisition. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [60 STAT. Greek Governments in London, and also with the representative of the French Provisional Government. I have the honour to be, with the highest consideration, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant, (for the Ambassador) JOHN BALFOUR. The Honourable JOSEPH C. GREW, Acting Secretary of State, Departmentof State, Washington, D. C. MEMORANDUM CONCERNING THE USE AND DISPOSAL OF UNITED NATIONS VESSELS CAPTURED OR FOUND BY THEIR FORCES IN THE COURSE OF OPERATIONS FOR THE LIBERATION OF EUROPE This Memorandum sets out the principles which shall determine the use and disposal of United Nations vessels captured or found by their Forces in the course of operations for the liberation of Europe. PART I. Immediate action to be taken as regards United Nations vessels captured or found in the area of operation. 1. The objectives to be attained are:- (a) not to impede the Commander-in-Chief or operations in any way; (b) to put the vessels into useful service as soon as possible, and (c) to avoid all local disagreements between the various United Nations Forces which may be concerned in their recovery and also between persons or organisations who may be found to be in local control of the vessels. 2. The Commander-in-Chief shall, accordingly, in the first instance be solely responsible for all clearance and emergency measures in the ports within the area of his control, and for immediate operational purposes shall have absolute discretion over all United Nations ves- sels captured by the forces under his command, whatever their na- tionality, or found within the area for which he is responsible. This discretion shall cover such matters as power to order the destruction of such vessels in accordance with military necessity, to order the loading or unloading of vessels, their movements and any other steps necessary to preserve them, to put them into use in his own name insofar as he may consider necessary for the immediate operations in progress. 3. The Commander-in-Chief for these purposes will use any powers of military requisition which may be necessary, and neither he nor his Government, nor the forces operating under his command will be held responsible in any way for any action or the results of any action taken by him or on his authority apart from any question of

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