or suffocated; third mate Sludgins, home Norfolk, Virginia, drowned; third assistant engineer W. C. Johnson, home Hoboken, New Jersey, drowned or suffocated; oiler Emery Lee Veaux, home Michigan, drowned or suffocated; able seaman S. W. Smith, home Chicago, drowned; sailor John Steiner, Pittsburg, Penn., drowned; second steward George Healy, San Francisco, California, drowned; chief engineer John Caldwell, New York, saved; first assistant engineer, G. W. Embry, New Orleans, saved; second assistant engineer G. Swanson, Brooklyn, saved; wireless operator H. Parker, Philadelphia, saved; complete affidavits following. KROGH. CASE OF THE "AZTEC." Consular Agent Pitel to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULAR AGENCY, Aztec sunk April first, nine p. m. Official report following through Foreign Office has just informed me that the American steamer Aztec was torpedoed at 9 p. m. last night far out at sea off Island of Ushant. That one boat from the steamer has been found with 19 survivors, who were landed this afternoon at Brest. Twenty-eight persons are still missing and although two patrol vessels are searching for them, the stormy condition of sea and weather renders their rescue doubtful. Foreign Office not informed of names of survivors. Will cable further details as soon as obtainable. SHARP. Following taken from deposition of Captain O'Brien, steamer Aztec, nine thirty p. m., April first. Nine miles WSW. Ushant Light when on the bridge Captain saw a large flash on the port side forward of the bridge and simultaneously heard an explosion. The explosion was not very loud but appeared to have great force as the boat seemed. to be lifted to one side. No submarine nor torpedo was seen. Ship settled back, began to sink forward, listing to starboard and continued to sink very rapidly. The explosion had disarranged the lighting system and wireless outfit. Ship was in complete darkness. All efforts were made to discover any presence of a submarine, nothing was seen. After ten minutes the ship was completely under forward so the Captain gave orders to stand by the boats to abandon the ship. The moon was shining, but the sky was overcast with frequent hail and rain, squalls. A light westerly gale was blowing and sea was very rough. About nine forty the Captain gave the order to abandon the ship. Three boats were launched; boats one and three were on the starboard side, two on the port side. Captain tried to get ship's papers, but when he returned on deck boat number two was gone according to the mate. She had been broken up in getting away from the ship, being on the weather side. Boats one and three were successfully launched, containing all the remaining members of the crew. Owing to darkness and rain it was impossible to tell who was in number three boat. Number one boat contained nineteen men, Lieutenant Gresham, eleven of the armed guard, the first mate, the third mate, the third engineer, the boatswain, the wireless operator, the messman, and the Captain. He saw no trace of number two boat; number three boat was lost sight of after fifteen minutes. The Aztec was visible for about twenty minutes and then disappeared in a rain squall. The Aztec had her colors flying over the stern, but carried no lights at time of sinking. After three hours number one boat was picked up by a French patrol boat, which, after unsuccessfully searching until after daylight for the other two boats, proceeded to Brest, where the survivors landed on the second instant. SHARP. CASE OF THE "MISSOURIAN.' Consul General Wilber to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Unarmed American steamer Missourian, 4,981 net tonnage, Master William Lyons, built Sparrow Point, owners American Hawaiian Steamship Company, fifty-three crew all told, including master and officers, thirty-two American citizens, balance various nationalities, according records this office sailing from Genoa April fourth, in water ballast, bound for United States, sunk without warning according to telegram just received from Master as follows: "Dated Porto Maurizio, fifth. American Consul, Genoa. Sunk without warning, crew saved, leave for Genoa seven o'clock p. m. April fifth. Lyons." As soon as Master and crew arrive will prepare and transmit full report as required. WILBER. Consul General Wilber to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Extract.] AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL, Genoa, April 5, 1917. Later information regarding sinking steamer Missourian by submarine same. Occurred four-thirty afternoon fourth, vicinity Porto Maurizio, Italy. No. 375.] 2. SUBMARINE WARFARE-AUSTRIA. CASE OF THE "ANCONA. 1 The Secretary of State to Ambassador T. N. Page. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 10, 1915. Reported Italian steamer Ancona sunk by submarine and surviving passengers landed Bizerta. Telegraph facts available and whether any Americans among passengers. LANSING. Ambassador T. N. Page to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Rome, (Received) November 10, 1915. Reported here one American first-class passenger, Cecil Grey, and twenty-six American third-class passengers conjecturally naturalized lost on Ancona. No. 427.] NELSON PAGE. Ambassador T. N. Page to the Secretary of State. Later report Americans believed lost on Ancona: Alexander Patattivo of New York, his wife and four children; Mrs. Francis Mascolo Lamura; also about twenty other third-class passengers believed Americans. Mrs. Cecile L. Greil, first called Gray, now reported safe. NELSON PAGE. Official announcement of the Austro-Hungarian Admiralty.2 Official Austro-Hungarian Admiralty reports foreign press spreads false reports about sinking Ancona, which took place as follows: sub1 For additional correspondence concerning the Ancona, see Special Supplement, 1916, pp. 297-305. - Transmitted to the Department of State by the Austro-Hungarian Chargé, November 15, 1915. marine fired one shot before steamer's prow, upon which steamer fled full speed, according order Italian authorities, which runs flee or sink submarine. Submarine pursued steamer and continued firing. Steamer stopped only when hit several times. Submarine allowed 45 minutes abandon steamer, where panic reigned, but only small number boats were lowered and occupied principally by crew. Great number boats, probably sufficient for save all passengers, remained unoccupied after 50 minutes. Submarine in presence other approaching steamer submerged and torpedoed Ancona, which sank after 45 minutes. If passengers lost life, this by crew's fault, because steamer tried escape when received order for stopping, and then crew only saved themselves not passengers. Foreign press reports submarine fired on lifeboats mendacious inventions. When steamer stopped submarine ceased firing. Consul White to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN CONSULATE, Naples, December 6, 1915. SIR: In compliance with the Department's cabled instruction of the 13th ultimo 1 to obtain if possible affidavits of survivors of the S. S. Ancona and a subsequent instruction received through the Embassy at Rome, there are inclosed herewith statements and affidavits as follows: 1. Statement of the captain in command. 2. Statement of the first officer. 3. Verbal statement made by the first officer in the presence of J. P. Jackson, lieutenant commander, United States Navy, assistant attaché, naval, American Embassy at Rome, and William Garguilo, clerk of the American consulate at Naples. 4. Copy of an affidavit made by Mrs. Cecile L. Greil, in the presence of Lieut. Com. J. P. Jackson and Edward H. Capp, employed at the American Consulate at Naples, and sworn to before Jay W. White, American consul at Naples. 5. Copy of an affidavit made by Mrs. Greil before Dean B. Mason, American consul at Algiers, Algieria. |