which there were Americans, was sunk by cannon shot on October 31, fifty-five miles off Cape Palos, Spain, by a German submarine. Mr. Grew is instructed to bring to the attention of the German Government the above cases in which it appears the lives of American citizens have been jeopardized by German submarines, and request an immediate investigation and report. Chargé Grew to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] No. 4702.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, December 8, 1916. The following note with regard to the sinking of the Sebek has just been received: FOREIGN OFFICE, Berlin, December 6, 1916. The undersigned has the honor to reply as follows to the note of Mr. Grew, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States of America, dated the twenty-first ultimo. Foreign Office No. 14221, relative to the sinking of the British vessel Sebek by a German submarine. According to the investigations of the German Naval authorities a German submarine attacked without warning and sank on October twelfth last, close to the warport of LaValeta, Malta, a ship which was under way with lights smothered and without position lanterns, and which therefore had to be considered as a warship by the German commander. A completely darkened ship which contrary to the international provisions relative to the carrying of lights at sea displays no streamer (?) and a position of lights thereby characterizes itself as a warship, in the war area at any rate or still more in the neighborhood of a warport as in the present case. Should then the darkened ship sunk off Malta actually have been identical with the British steamer Sebek the blame for jeopardizing lives of the Americans hired on the Sebek attached solely to the captain who, in order to evade measures of prize by the German cruisers recognized by international laws, took upon himself the danger involved in neglecting, contrary to international law the international provisions relative to the carrying of lights. The undersigned requests that the above be communicated to the American Government and avails himself of the opportunity to the Chargé d'Affaires, et cetera. (Signed.) ZIMMERMANN. GREW. No. 313.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, Cardiff, November 16, 1916. SIR: I have the honor to enclose a copy of the declaration of Alle Dorsey, a colored American citizen, relative to the loss by submarine attack of the vessel on which he was engaged, the British S. S. Barbara. I have, etc., [Inclosure.] LORIN A. LATHROP. Deposition of Alle Dorsey. AMERICAN CONSULATE, I, Alle Dorsey, do solemnly swear that I am an American citizen. I was born at 22 Water Street, Norfolk, Virginia, in September, 1890. My father, Ben Dorsey, lives now at 26 Water Street, Norfolk, Va. I was a fireman on the British S. S. Barbara of West Hartlepool, England; H. Mayne, master. I left Barry Dock, Wales, in the Barbara on June 12, 1916, and went to Genoa and Gibraltar and then to Santiago, Cuba, and to Philadelphia, Pa. I left Philadelphia with the vessel at the end of August last. The vessel was bound for West Hartlepool with a cargo of sugar. There were no guns on the vessel. There were two other American seamen on the Barbara, one was named George West, but I do not know the name of the other. The vessel called at Dover for orders on its way to West Hartlepool and about twenty-four hours after leaving Dover, on the twentieth day of October at four o'clock in the afternoon I was coming up to the forecastle when the watch told me there was a submarine in sight. I saw the submarine which was about half a mile from our vessel on the port bow. It was flying the German flag, but I could not see if there was a number on it. The captain said it was not a submarine. I returned to the forecastle and then I heard the report of a gun. The captain ordered the engines to be stopped and all the crew to stand by the boats. I ran out on deck and went to the port side boat, then I went back to the forecastle to try and save my clothes but I heard another shot and returned to the boat. The captain was then in the starboard side boat, and both boats were lowered. All the crew were in the two boats and no one was injured. No flag was hoisted on our vessel after the shots were fired by the submarine, and no one from the submarine came aboard our vessel. I do not know how far our vessel was from the coast. The Spanish S. S. Victor Trava was about 200 yards away from our vessel and took all our crew on board. About twenty minutes after leaving the Barbara we saw that vessel sink. Several shots were fired at it after the crew were in the boats. The submarine followed the Spanish ship for about three hours, it was then too dark to see what became of the submarine. We were on the Spanish ship when we saw our vessel sink. We were on board the Spanish ship for four days and were landed at Bilbao on October 24, 1916. About twelve of the crew were shipped in different vessels to England. I was sent to Middlesbrough and thence by train to Barry Dock, Wales. I have not yet received the wages due to me from the Barbara, and have no money and only the clothes I stand up in. I am at present staying at 23 Travis Street, Barry Dock, Wales. His Sworn to this sixteenth day of November, A. D. 1916, the deposition having been previously read over to the deponent, whereupon he affixed his mark; before me, [Seal of the American Consulate.] LORIN A. LATHROP, American Consul, Cardiff, Wales. No. 3652.] 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 British steamship Barbara, which had Americans on board, was sunk in the British Channel by a German submarine on October 20. The ship was laden with coal and bound to Hartlepool from Philadelphia. Mr. Grew is instructed to make request of the Foreign Minister for a prompt investigation and report. No. 4882.] Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, January 15, 1917. The following note relative to the sinking of the English steamer Barbara has just been received: FOREIGN OFFICE, Berlin, January 14, 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 last, Foreign Office No. 14836, on the sinking of the steamer Barbara as follows: According to the investigations of the German naval authorities. the steamer Barbara was stopped by a German submarine with a shot of warning on October 20, 1916, a few miles south of the Isle of Wight; the crew then immediately entered the boats. After the commander had convinced himself that the crew had been taken on board of the Spanish steamer Victor Chavarri and was thus in a place of safety he sank the vessel. The undersigned requests that the above may be communicated to the American Government and avails himself, et cetera. (Signed.) ZIMMERMANN. GERARD. Cork, Queenstown, October 28, 1916. Furness freighter Rowanmore, Baltimore for Liverpool, mixed cargo including munitions attacked by German submarine 8.45 a. m. twenty-sixth 140 miles west southwest of Cape Clear, after fifty minutes attempt escape Rowanmore's steering gear was shot away. Master thereupon stopped and signaled submarine he was abandoning ship. Submarine three-fourths miles distant continue shelling as it came up, originally three miles off. Submarine shelled boats after latter were clear, no casualties whatever, but Americans and officers insist submarine was firing to kill until it came close up when it forewent that. Submarine forcibly took master on board it as prisoner or hostage. Expressed perfunctory regret at situation of crew of seventy-nine men who were in four open boats. Weather was dull with heavy swell and light choppy waves, wind moderate to fresh. Submarine shelled Rowanmore and at 11.30 torpedoed her, but vessel did not sink until 2.40 p. m. Rowanmore had wirelessed the Finland thirty miles away, warning her to keep away, also wirelessed other vessels. British Admiralty vessel came to rescue 11.45 a. m. Crew landed Bantry 10 a. m., twenty-seventh. Seven Americans, of whom five are Filipinos, other two are native Americans, George Murphy, 740 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, and Albert Sessler, 42 Sharon Street, Boston. Both rated trimmers. Their affidavit is taken. Took statement first officer Watson, but could not complete it formally, as he had only two hours in Cork. Rowanmore had gross tonnage 6,705. FROST. No. 3530.] The Secretary of State to Chargé Grew. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 30, 1916. Mr. Grew is informed of receipt of telegram dated October 28, 1916, from the American Consul at Queenstown, reporting that the Furness freighter Rowanmore, Baltimore for Liverpool, mixed cargo, including munitions, attacked by German submarine eight forty-five a. m., twenty-sixth, one hundred forty miles west southwest of Cape Clear, after fifty minutes attempt escape Rowanmore's steering gear was shot away. Master thereupon stopped and signaled submarine he was abandoning ship. Submarine three-fourths miles distant continue shelling as it came up, originally three miles off. Submarine shelled boats after latter were clear, no casualties whatever, but Americans and officers insist submarine was firing to kill until it came close up, when it forewent that. Submarine forcibly took master on board it as prisoner or hostage. Expressed perfunctory regret at situation of crew of seventy-nine men, who were in four open boats. Weather was dull, with heavy swell and light, choppy waves, wind moderate to fresh. Submarine shelled Rowanmore and at eleven thirty tor |