500.A15A5/961a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Bullitt)
1020. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India have notified this Government that in consequence of the state of war which exists with Germany they have in accordance with article 24 suspended, so far as they are concerned, all of the obligations of the Naval Treaty signed at London on March 25, 1936.
Article 24, paragraph (2), of this Treaty provides that in the event of a suspension of the obligations by one party the other contracting parties shall promptly consult together with a view to agreeing as to the obligations of the Treaty, if any, which each of the High Contracting Parties may suspend.
Please consult with the Government to which you are accredited and inquire what are its intentions with regard to the suspension of the obligations of the Treaty. You may state that it is the intention of this Government, in view of the suspension of obligations by several Parties to the Treaty, to give notice that it considers it necessary to suspend the treaty obligations.
Repeat to American Embassy, Rome.