DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

CASE OF THE PEBSIA. 133
[Inclosuie—Translation.]
The Austro-Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs to
Ambassador Penfield.
No. 49.]
I. AND K. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
Vienna, January 5, 1916.
In reply to the esteemed note of the 4th instant, No.
4436, the undersigned has the honor to state to His Excellency,
F. C. Penfield, Ambassador of the United States
of America, that nothing is known to the Imperial and
Royal Government concerning the circumstances of the
sinking of the English steamer "Persia" other than the
pertinent newspaper reports. For this reason and, further,
inasmuch as the esteemed note cited above offers no
tangible clue in this respect, there is scarcely a question
of responsibility for us in this incident. But the Imperial
and Royal Government, in full accord with the views
of the Government of the United States, considers it as
self-understood that in every other instance involving a
responsibility on its part it will be guided by the views
and principles which were recognized here in connection
with the sinking of the Italian steamer "Ancona."
The undersigned, etc.
File No. 841.857P43/30.
Consul Garrels to the Secretary of State.
[Extract.]
BURIAN.
AMERICAN CONSULATE,
Alexandria, January 8, 1916.
SIR: I have the honor to report as follows in regard to
the sinking of the P. and O. liner Persia.
At 5.30 o'clock on January 1st, 1916, Mr. Charles H.
Grant telephoned to the Consulate. He stated that he
was an American citizen, a survivor of the Persia, and was
then on board of the H. M. S Hannibal, having arrived at
Alexandria about an hour before. The Hannibal is permanently
anchored at Alexandria in the outer harbour
for defence purposes. This was the first advice or information
of any kind I had of the disaster. I immediately
set off for the Hannibal in a launch from the U. S. S. Des
Moines, which Commander Blakely kindly put at my disposal.
On arriving aboard of the Hannibal at about
seven o'clock, I found the British Vice Consul of Alexandria
in conference with the survivors who had been
brought to Alexandria by the British armed trawler
Mallow. I was informed that one hundred and fifty-one
persons had been brought in, which made up the contents
of four of the Persia's boats that had been picked up.
All told the same story: An explosion while at luncheon;
a hurried endeavour to put on life belts and report to the
lifeboat stations that had been previously assigned to
the passengers; a rapid list of the ship to port and subsequent
sinking in about five minutes; no vessel or craft
of any description seen by anyone before or after the ex-