File No. 841.857/223
The Chargé in Germany (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 21, 5 p. m.]
4619. Department’s 3538,1 November 2, 2 [5] p. m. The following reply has been received from the Foreign Office:
The undersigned has the honor to make the following reply to the note of Mr. Joseph Clark Grew, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America dated the 5th instant relative to the reported sinking of the English steamers Rievaulx Abbey and Strathtay and the Dutch [Danish] steamer Antwerpian by German submarines; according to the investigation of the Admiralty Staff of the Imperial German Navy no attack was made by German naval forces on the English steamers Rievaulx Abbey and Strathtay. It would therefore be of interest to the German Government to learn what basis there is for the report which reached the Department of State of the United States of America that these steamers were sunk by German submarines.
The Dutch [Danish] steamer Antwerpen (not Antwerpian) was captured by a German submarine in cruiser warfare on September 12 last for carrying contraband and sunk in compliance with the rules of the Declaration of London. The crew was first given the opportunity to reach a place of safety.
The undersigned avails himself [etc.]
Von Jagow
Foreign Office,
Berlin
,
November 19, 1916
.