Yes; the vessel was fired on while the passengers were being taken off.

26th Interrogatory. What time, in your judgment, was allowed

for such taking off?

I do not know.

27th Interrogatory. Were any other vessels in the neighborhood at the time of the attack on the S. S. Ancona?

I do not know.

28th Interrogatory. Did the vessel sink before all the passengers were taken off?

Yes; the vessel sank before all the passengers were taken off. Question No. 28a. Were there other vessels in the neighborhood? There were no ships in the neighborhood as far as I know. Question No. 29. What was the conduct of the crew during the

taking off of the passengers?

Part of the crew helped the passengers to embark, and a part of the crew had left the vessel before I did.

Answer to last question unnumbered. Give names and addresses of persons known to you who were present at the time. There was no one with me at the time whom I know or whose address I know. ILAZIONE AZZOLINI.

Sworn and subscribed to before me this twenty-sixth day of November, 1915.

JAY WHITE, American Consul.

Witnesses to the signature of Ilazione Azzolini.

CASE OF THE “PETROLITE." 1

Consul Mason to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN CONSULATE, Algiers, (Received) December 10, 1915. American steamer Petrolite arrived Algiers seven a. m., December 10th. Captain reports vessel attacked nineteen hours from Alexandria

For additional correspondence concerning the Petrolite, see Special Supplement, 1916, p. 306.

by submarine flying Austrian flag. One seaman wounded by shell. After examination papers and forcibly taking provisions vessel allowed to proceed. MASON.

No. 71.]

The Secretary of State to Minister Egan.

[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 24, 1916.

Mr. Egan is directed to obtain statements from the officers of the American vessel Petrolite, which is due to arrive at Copenhagen about the twenty-fifth of January, covering the details of the stopping of the Petrolite in the Mediterranean by a submarine, and to ascertain if the captain of the Petrolite made a vigorous protest against food being taken from the vessel, if the food was paid for, if the Petrolite as it swung broadside to the submarine stopped her headway, if the submarine continued shelling after the Petrolite stopped, and if the shell which wounded a sailor of the Petrolite was fired after the vessel stopped or was among the first fired.

No. 904.]

Minister Egan to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Copenhagen, February 2, 1916.

SIR: With reference to the Department's telegraphic instructions No. 71 of January 24, 1916, and to the Legation's No. 2131 of January 26, 1916, in reply thereto, I have the honor herewith to transmit to the Department a copy of the statement made by Captain Thompson, master of the Petrolite, together with an attest made by the chief engineer, W. H. Oorschot, as to the amount of damage done to the ship, and a questionnaire prepared by the Legation and signed by the captain. The two last-named documents have been sworn and subscribed to by the consul general at Copenhagen.

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure.]

COPENHAGEN, January 25, 1916. To-day, Captain Thompson, of the American steamer Petrolite, of New York, bound from Alexandria, made the following statement to the American Minister at Copenhagen:

While off the coast of Tripoli on Sunday morning, December 5, at about 6.30 o'clock, he was attacked by a submarine. The submarine must have been under water and the Petrolite must have passed over her, after which the submarine fired the first shot. This first shot the captain thought to be an explosion in the boiler room, and the mate went immediately to see what the trouble was. While he was on the way to the engine room, the second shot was fired. Then, and only then, was the submarine sighted, and the ship stopped. Captain Thompson ordered the Petrolite swung around so that the name of the ship-painted in six-foot letters on the side-might be visible. He had a large American flag flying between the two masts of the vessel and another at the stern. The submarine came closer and kept on firing all the time; he did not know what to do. The submarine showed no indication of its nationality. The captain then ordered the boats ready and the crew into the boats. During this time he went to the cabin to get the ship's papers and the money box. While he was in the cabin and the boats were being made ready the last shot was fired. This last shot went through the crew lowering one of the boats and wounded one of the men-a flesh wound on the inside of the calf of the right leg. This shot, in exploding, tore away the piping in the fidle (casing around the funnel) and caused damage, as estimated by the captain, to the extent of $2,000. The captain then told the mate that he might want to go aboard the submarine. While he was on his way to the submarine it hoisted the Austrian flag. When the captain handed over his papers, the submarine commander asked why he had not stopped when the first shot was fired. He told the commander that he stopped at the second shot, explaining that they thought the first report was caused by an explosion in their own ship. He told him that the Petrolite was swung around to show the name. Then the commander said that the Petrolite had tried to ram him. Captain Thompson denied this, saying that by this time his ship had very little headway on. The commander of the submarine then said the Petrolite looked like a cruiser, and that he ought to have a flag painted on the side of the ship, like all other neutral vessels. Captain Thompson called attention to the large flag flying between the masts and the one at the stern. Some days ago, said the commander, his ship found an English vessel flying the American flag, and when it sighted the submarine it hoisted the English flag and commenced firing on the submarine, which was compelled to go below. The submarine commander again advised the captain to have an American flag painted on the side of his ship.

The commander then asked if there were any provisions (fresh) on board the Petrolite, to which Captain Thompson replied in the affirmative, but added that he had only enough for his own use. The commander said he would like very much to have some and would be willing to pay for them. Captain Thompson said that the only way to get them was for the commander to force him to give them up, as he would not sell them. The commander then said that he required about 50 pounds of meat, 50 eggs, and if the captain had a ham not in use, by all means, a ham. He then ordered the captain aboard but kept the wounded man as a hostage until the provisions made their appearance. He informed the captain that his was a large submarine with a crew of thirty-five men, that could easily make the trip to America. The captain, after a look fore and aft, agreed with the commander, but expressed his doubts as to whether the submarine after a visit to America would ever come back again.

After his return to the Petrolite the captain ordered the provisions out and sent over to the submarine. The officer who took them over reported on his return with the hostage that, as Captain Thompson would not accept any money for the provisions, the commander had the honor to offer him a bottle of champagne. The submarine then disappeared with the provisions and the Petrolite resumed her voyage.

[Attest.]

I, W. H. Oorschot, chief engineer of the S. S. Petrolite (owners, Standard Oil Co. of N. J.), hereby attest that, in my opinion, the amount of damage done to the fidle (the casing containing the steam piping around the funnel) by the explosion of a shell fired from an Austrian submarine at the above-mentioned vessel would be covered by the sum of $10,000.

W. H. OORSCHOT,
Chief Eng.

COPENHAGEN, JANUARY 26Tн, 1915,
Kingdom of Denmark, City of Copenhagen, ss:
Sworn and subscribed to before me this 26 Jan., 1916.

E. D. WINSLOW,
American Consul General, Copenhagen, Denmark.

[Seal of the American Consulate General.]

STATEMENT REGARDING STOPPAGE OF S. S. "PETROLITE" BY A SUBMARINE

WAR VESSEL IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

Question. Where was the vessel stopped?

Answer. Off coast of Tripoli, Sunday, December 5, 6.30 a. m.

Question. Was protest made by captain against the food being taken?

Answer. Yes, captain protested vigorously; said the only way for the submarine commander to get the provisions was to force him to give them up.

Question. Was any payment made?

Answer. No payment made. Austrian commander offered payment, but captain would not accept.

Question. Was headway stopped and ship swung broadwise to submarine?

Answer. Yes, ship was immediately stopped and swung broadside to submarine.

Question. Did shelling continue after ship stopped?

Answer. Yes, at least twelve shots were fired after ship had been stopped.

Question. Was shell that wounded sailor among those first fired, or after ship was stopped?

Answer. Sailor was wounded by last shell fired after ship had stopped.

KINGDOM OF DENMARK,

City of Copenhagen, ss:

Sworn and subscribed to before me this 26th Jan., 1916.

E. D. WINSLOW,
American Consul General,

[Seal of the American Consulate-General.]

Copenhagen, Denmark.

H. B. THOMPSON, Master, S. S. "Petrolite."

Name of wounded seaman: Frederik Larsen (born in Denmark). Name of first mate: Thomas McKellum (born in U. S. A.).

No. 1116.]

The Secretary of State to Ambassador Penfield.
[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, February 9, 1916.

Mr. Penfield is informed that the captain of the steamer Petrolite states that on December 5, 1915, in longitude 26° 8' East, latitude 32° 23′ North, six thirty a. m., during fair weather, ship was fired on by submarine coming up from stern. Headway of ship stopped immediately after second shot was fired six thirty-two a. m., and ship was swung broadside to submarine until stopped. After ship was so placed number of shots were fired, one went through ship, burst and