File No. 856.857/32
The Vice Consul at Rotterdam ( Krogh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7 p.m.]
Dutch tank-steamship La Campine of Rotterdam, owned by American Petroleum Company, en route from Rotterdam to New York with water ballast, of which vessel Gustav Claude, American citizen, was captain, (bearer Department passport No. 25403, issued June 2, 1916), reported stopped by gunfire and sunk by gunfire by German submarine, forenoon March 13, in North Sea in safe zone 56° latitude north, 3° 25′ longitude east. Whole crew including captain after spending 26 hours in lifeboats were saved. Am mailing Claude’s affidavit.