the Norwegian steamer Trippel was stopped by a German submarine on November 10, 1916, and captured after it was ascertained that her cargo consisted of steel and iron for the Italian war command with Genoa as the port of destination. Since it was impossible under the given circumstances to bring the steamer into a German port she was sunk. Crew had first been given sufficient time to leave the steamer; the weather was very fine, the Spanish coast scarcely ten miles distant so that there was full security for the rescuing of the craft. The undersigned requests that the above may be communicated to the American Government and avails himself of the opportunity to renew, etc. (Signed) Minister for Foreign Affairs. GERARD. CASE OF THE "LOKKEN." No. 5181.] Ambassador W. H. Page to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, London, November 20, 1916. Following telegram received from Consul Liverpool: Norwegian ship Lokken sunk by gunfire submarine November eleventh, crew landed Birkenhead, one American, J. P. Clancy, 461 Catherine Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Vessel warned and crew taken off before sinking, boats towed until lights passing vessel sighted. No casualties, affidavits posted. PAGE. No. 3654.] The Secretary of State to Chargé Grew. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 9, 1916. Mr. Lansing informs Mr. Grew that the Department is advised that the Norwegian ship Lokken, which had American citizens aboard, was sunk by a submarine whose nationality is unknown, by gunfire while en route to Phillipville, near Algiers, from Cardiff, with a cargo of coal, in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, about 180 miles from shore on November 11. Mr. Grew is directed to bring this case to the attention of the Foreign Minister, and request a prompt investigation and report. No. 4871.] Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] The following note relative to the steamer Lokken has just been received: AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, January 12, 1917. sinking of the Norwegian FOREIGN OFFICE, Berlin, January 11, 1917. The undersigned has the honor to inform His Excellency, Mr. James W. Gerard, Ambassador of the United States of America, in reply to the note of Mr. J. C. Grew, dated December 11 last, Foreign Office No. 14831, on the subject of the sinking of the Norwegian steamer Lokken by a submarine of unknown nationality as follows: The investigation conducted by the German naval authorities has shown that the Lokken was stopped by a German submarine on November 11, 1916. The steamer had absolute contraband on board -namely, coal for the Algerian State railways. She was therefore captured and sunk, since it was not feasible under the given circumstances to take her into a German port. Care was taken for the rescue of the crew by the submarine taking the two boats in tow and conducting them to a steamer, which took the men on board. The undersigned requests that the above may be communicated to the American Government, and avails himself of the opportunity to renew to the Ambassador the assurances of his most distinguished consideration. ZIMMERMANN. GERARD. CASE OF THE “TREVARRACA." Consul Lathrop to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, Cardiff, November 20, 1916. Norvel Sharp, second cook, Fred Lake, fireman, colored, illiterate, American citizens, British steamship Trevarrick, of Saint Ives, Cornwall, state Trevarrick sunk by two German submarines ninety miles off Ouessant Point, November sixteenth. Unarmed; warned. No casualties. Cargo, grain; Buenos Aires to Hull. Affidavits mailed. LATHROP. No. 3651.] The Secretary of State to Chargé Grew. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 9, 1916. Mr. Lansing informs Mr. Grew that the Department has been advised that the British steamer Trevarrick, which had Americans on board, was sunk 90 miles off Ouessant Point, on November 16, by a German submarine. The ship was grain laden, bound from Buenos Aires to Hull. Mr. Grew is instructed to request of the Foreign Minister a prompt investigation and report. No. 4948.] Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, January 29, 1917. Following note received from the Foreign Office: FOREIGN OFFICE, Berlin, January 26, 1917. The undersigned has the honor to inform His Excellency, Mr. James W. Gerard, Ambassador of the United States of America, in reply to the note of Mr. J. C. Grew, dated December eleven, 1916, Foreign Office number 14829, relative to the sinking of the British steamer Trevarrica by a German submarine, as follows: According to the facts as ascertained by the German naval authorities, the British steamer Trevarraca, not "Trevarrica,” was stopped by a German submarine on the morning of November sixteen, 1916; the crew left the steamer without further delay when the signal to stop was given and sailed away from the steamer in their boats. The vessel was then sunk as an enemy vessel after it had been searched. The undersigned requests that the above may be brought to the cognizance of the American Government, and avails himself, et cetera. AMERICAN CONSULATE, Dundee, (Received) December 12, 1916. Steamer Agder, of Hungesund, from Stavanger for New Castle on Tyne, with tinned meat, sunk on Sunday morning when 58° 29′ north latitude and 2° 48' east longitude by gunfire from German submarine, crew picked up by Swedish steamer Konsul Bratt and brought Kirkwall yesterday. One American citizen on board acting as fireman belonging to (?) Pittsburg. Whole crew being sent from Kirkwall to Bergen by Norwegian steamer Tanafjord. BAXTER. CASE OF THE "REBECCA PALMER." Consul Washington to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, Liverpool, December 22, 1916. Captain John Trainor, of Eighty-three Federal Street, Portland, Maine, Master American five masted Schooner Rebecca Palmer, of New York, affirms he left Savannah, Georgia, November ninth; that at four-twenty afternoon of December fourteenth, when seventy miles west southwest Fastnet, making about two knots an hour in a heavy sea, Captain observed what appeared like a boatsail about four miles to the north on his beam; this proved to be a submarine, as a shot was fired at the ship. Captain ordered mate to go below for flag and at once hove to his vessel. Another shot followed in about two minutes. When mate was below one of these shots, the captain is uncertain which, struck bow, doing about two hundred dollars damage. The vessel at this time showed no flag. There was an American flag painted forward of amidships on each side, about eight by twelve feet. This could not have been seen at that distance by submarine in captain's opinion. The flag was then hoisted, and in about half an hour the submarine came within two hundred yards and, as it was dark, signaled with Morse lights to send boat. Captain had previously made out German colors on submarine. Captain lowered motor launch, but submarine had then disappeared. Captain proceeded toward motor launch, which was thereby lost, owing to heavy weather; vessel in stream. Hope affidavits mate and helmsman to-morrow. WASHINGTON. CASE OF THE "RUSSIAN." Consul Keblinger to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, Malta, December 19, 1916. British steamer Russian, of Leyland Line, after having discharged cargo of mules at Salonika brought from Newport News, and while on return trip in ballast to Newport News, was struck by what was believed to be a torpedo from submarine at five-forty in afternoon on December fourteenth about two hundred miles east of Malta. The sea was very rough and considerable difficulty was experienced in launching lifeboats, but finally all on board were taken off. A southeast gale was blowing, accompanied by drenching rain, thunder, and lightning, and one of the lifeboats capsized, drowning twenty-eight men, including seventeen American muleteers, as follows: |