File No. F.W.462.11T41

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

1918. Your telegram 1411, April 12. When the so-called submarine blockade was instituted rewards were offered publicly by private persons and organizations to merchant vessels for sinking German submarines. Claim for these rewards has been put in by several ships.

There is no record that the Government have offered such rewards but the press states that the steamer Thordis has received a sum of money from the Admiralty for sinking an enemy submarine.

The Admiralty has issued instructions to merchant vessels as how to best avoid attack by submarines but I know of no instructions having been issued to merchant vessels with regard to attacking submarines.

American Ambassador