DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

244 SUBMARINE WARFARE.
terdam that Captain Barlow of the American steamer
Owego, plying between New York and Rotterdam, arrived
at the latter city on August 14 and reported that his
vessel was fired at ten times in the British Channel, near
the Isle of Wight, by a German submarine, but no casualties
reported. Mr. Gerard is instructed to bring the
matter at once formally to the attention of the Foreign
Minister and request a prompt investigation of the case
and a prompt statement of the findings.
Mr. Lansing adds that Mr. Gerard will perceive the
importance of giving his constant attention to the case
until a reply from the German Government is received.
KleNo 763.72/2830.
Ambassador Gerard, to the Secretary of State.
[Telegram.]
No. 4273.] AMERICAN EMBASSY,
Berlin, August 27, 1916.
Foreign Office in a note dated August 26, which was
received to-day, replies as follows in regard to American
steamer Owego:
"As established by the Admiralty Staff of the Imperial
Navy, a German submarine at 2.40 afternoon, on
August 3, with very clear weather and smooth sea, sighted
a slow-going steamer of an old type and stood by. At a
distance of 6,000 meters the submarine made the steamer
a signal to stop and gave two warning shots. As nothing
happened on the steamer, whose flag was not recognizable
but which nevertheless continued to proceed on its way,
three further warning shots were fired. As the steamer
neither made an 'understood' signal nor stood by, fire was
opened on it. After 6 shots (11 shots in all) it hoisted
American flag on the forestay and stopped. The distance
was now 2,000 meters. The submarine signaled 'send
immediately boat with the papers,' to which the captain of
the steamer answered by hoisting his designation signal
but did nothing more. When, after a further 17 minutes,
no preparations were made to launch a boat the commander
of the submarine fired a shot across the steamer's
bow. After 10 minutes the first officer came on board
the submarine and stated that the captain had not observed
the submarine until then. The Imperial Government
can not give any credence to this evasive excuse,
since the note of August 18 mentions 10 shots fired at the
steamer, from which it is undeniably clear that the warning
shots were heard by the captain of the Owego, but
that no attention was paid to them.
"Under these circumstances the Imperial Government
finds itself under the necessity of emphasizing the fact
that while the conduct of the commander of the submarine
was in every respect correct, the behavior of the steamer
Owego was not in accordance with the rules of international
law. The captain would therefore have had only
himself to blame had his conduct brought about unpleasant
results."
GERARD.