File No. 300.115L22/8
The Chargé in Germany (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 12, 8.30 p. m.]
4716. The following note relative to the sinking of the Lanao has just been received:
Foreign Office, Berlin , December 9, 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 21st ultimo, Foreign Office Nr. 14420, relative to the sinking of the steamer Lanao by a German submarine.
On October 28 last a German submarine encountered the steamer Lanao on the way to Le Havre and captured it as a prize because it was carrying contraband to the enemy. Since the submarine was unable to conduct the Lanao into a German or allied port without exposing itself to the danger of sinking, it sank the steamer after it had taken the crew on board. The crew was then sent on board the Norwegian steamer Tromp which was just at the time in sight.
The steamer Lanao belonged originally to the Findlay Millar Steamship Company of Manila. It was, however, sold in July 1916 to the shipping firm of Hannevig Brothers of London and sailed since under the English flag. The owners of the firm Hannevig Brothers are the sons of the ship owner, Christian Hannevig of Borre, Norway, and are, like him, Norwegian subjects.
The undersigned requests Mr. Grew, the Chargé d’Affaires, to communicate the above to the Government of the United States, and avails himself [etc.]