340.1115A/876: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Heath) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 13—9:45 a.m.]
1815. My number 1814, June 12, 11 p.m. With regard to the Foreign Office statement communicated in my telegram under reference, Ambassador Ritter through whom all communications regarding the Roosevelt and the Washington have been handled asked me to call on him at 10:30 a.m., June 10, and stated that the Foreign Office was in receipt of conflicting information regarding the sailing dates and course of the Washington and asked that exact and complete information be furnished as far in advance of sailing dates as possible as it was frequently a matter of delay and difficulty to communicate with submarine units, many of which were as much as 14 days out of port. I accordingly sent my Rush telegram number 1769, June 10, noon,95 and at the same time the Embassy managed to get in communication by telephone to Bern with the Embassy at Paris where it was stated that the Washington was scheduled to leave Lisbon June 10 or 11 for Galway.
I had informed Ritter that I would apprise him immediately of any information received and sent him the following communication, marked Personal and Urgent, which he received around noon of June 10.
“Dear Mr. Ambassador: With reference to our conversation this morning I have to inform you that I have as yet had no reply from Washington as to the movements of the Steamship Washington but according to information which I have just received telephonically [Page 128] through our Legation in Bern from the American Embassy in Paris the Washington departed from Bordeaux on Saturday June 8 at 8 p.m. for Lisbon. The ship is scheduded to leave Lisbon today or tomorrow for Galway, Ireland, which port she should reach on June 12 or June 13. I imagine that the ship will depart from Galway on June 13th or 14th for the United States.”
The Department’s instruction No. 1554, 10th,96 was received at 11:30 p.m., June 10, and its instruction No. 1558, 10th,97 giving the Washington exact sailing date and course reached the Embassy at 6 o’clock in the morning of June 11 and were textually communicated to the Foreign Office by note verbale.
I spoke informally with Ritter this evening who said that the Foreign Office communiqué quoted in my telegram under reference was occasioned by the statement reportedly issued at the Department that all belligerent governments had been notified as to the course and scheduled voyage of the vessel whereas he said the exact course and sailing dates (which were communicated in the Department’s instruction No. 1558, 10th) reached the Foreign Office only after the ship had been stopped. He said that he had not transmitted the contents of my letter to him to the German naval authorities because the “requested information not having been furnished by the American Government was not official and because the exact course was not given.” He expatiated on the difficulties of communicating with submarine units which were available for radio instructions only for brief periods and in situations permitting them to remain on the surface during times of schedules transmission. He expressed great regret at the occurrence.
I have refused requests of representatives of the American press for my comments on the Foreign Office statement.