300.115(39) City of Flint/59½: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
216. Your 813, October 27, noon,82 City of Flint. Associated Press carries report under today’s Berlin date line to the effect that City of Flint was being sailed from Murmansk to Germany under command of German prize crew.
If you find that the vessel has thus been released, you should inform the Foreign Office that the action of that government is the occasion of considerable surprise to your Government. You should point out that early reports stated that the vessel was being “temporarily held” and that the German crew had been interned. (See your 789, October 24, 9 a.m.) This report would indicate that the Soviet authorities considered that the vessel had been illegally brought into port. Later, on October 25, the German authorities stated that the vessel had put into the port of Murmansk because of the lack of adequate navigation charts. Still later, on October 26, the German authorities stated that the vessel had been brought into port because of “sea damage.” On the same day the Foreign Office informed you that the vessel had entered the port on account of the “existence of machinery trouble.” (See your 800, October 26, 3 a.m.)
It now appears that the vessel has been released in charge of the German prize crew.
If the vessel entered the port of Murmansk because of needed repairs, it is not perceived why the German crew was interned. If it did not enter in good faith or for such repairs or other reasons specified in Article 21 of The Hague Convention, it is not perceived why it was not permitted to sail with its American crew. The conflicting statements and the inconsistency between the action of the Soviet authorities in interning the German crew and in later releasing the crew and the vessel for departure for Germany (if this latter report is correct) would seem to call for explanation. The failure of the Soviet authorities to make it possible for you to communicate [Page 997] with the American captain of the vessel is very surprising and requires explanation. You should make it clear that your Government cannot understand these conflicting reports and the utter lack of cooperation on the part of the Soviet authorities with you.
You should endeavor in such way as it may be found possible to ascertain whether, as a matter of fact, the vessel was unseaworthy and whether and to what extent repairs were made at Murmansk.