File No. 763.72111/2722
The German Ambassador ( Bernstorff ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 11.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: With reference to my letter of May 301 I beg to inform you that the Imperial Government have just advised me about the facts concerning the American steamer Muskogee.
It appears that when the Muskogee was stopped by a German torpedo boat on April 24, two men of the crew declared to be German reservists and requested to be taken to a German port in order to be enabled to fulfil their military duty. These men had previously given themselves out as citizens of neutral countries, in order to protect themselves against the unlawful practice of enemy belligerents, who seize German reservists on board of neutral ships. It further appears from the report of the commander of the torpedo boat that the captain of the Muskogee protested only against the departure of one of the reservists and refused to pay his wages.
I am [etc.]
- Not printed.↩