DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

SUBMARINE WARFARE. 231
and filled with the crew. We stood by ship for about
one hour in the boats, and as there was no further explosion
I ordered the crew on board again.
At the time of the explosion I have just described the
weather was clear and it was just coming dusk; the
moon was up and the light was sufficiently good in my
opinion to enable the name of the vessel on the ship's
sides to be distinguishable for a distance of 2,000 feet.
I estimate the explosion to which I have referred occurred
about ten minutes after I had lowered the American
flag, which I had continued to fly up to that time at
the stern of my vessel since leaving Liverpool.
I further state that neither before leaving Liverpool,
nor up to the time of the explosion to which I have referred,
did I receive any instructions or advice from any
official of a belligerent nation in regard to courses to steer
on my return passage to America.
Before I left the ship I caused the wireless operator to
return to the vessel from the boat and send the signal
"S. O. S." I received a wireless message from the British
Admiralty that assistance was being sent. After
returning to the ship from the small boat the boats were
hoisted clear of the water and course shaped for the
Fastnet. Proceeded slowly up to 1.30 a. m. on the 26th,
and we met two British vessels sent to our assistance by
the British Admiralty in answer to our call, one of which
accompanied us to Liverpool. The captain of this vessel
ordered me to put out the running lights and advised me
to keep well off the Fastnet Kock Light, which rock we
passed fifteen miles off. We proceeded slowly under
our steam and arrived in the river Mersey, Liverpool,
May 27, 1915, at 8.35 p. m.
There were no deaths resulting from this explosion
referred to, but three men suffered minor injuries.
JOHN S. GREENE.
Subscribed and sworn to this 27th day of May, 1915,
before me,
HORACE LEE WASHINGTON,
American Consul, Liverpool, England.
[Seal of the American Consulate. I
[Enclosure 3.]
Deposition of Wilfred Harold Senior, Third Officer of the
Steamship " Nebraslcan."
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND,
County of Lancaster, City of Liverpool, ss:
I, Wilfred Harold Senior, of 197 Athens Street, Boston,
Mass., aged 22 years, do hereby depose and say as follows:
I am the Third Officer of the American steamship
Nebraslcan and came on watch at 8 o'clock on the evening
of May 25th. Shortly after I came on watch, it then
being sunset, I had the colors hauled down. At 8.24 a
violent explosion occurred forward, and I saw the hatch
covers of No. 1 hatch and the cargo booms above same