DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

254 SUBMARINE WARFARE.
drenching the boats. The boats eventually got clear
of the ship, and the submarine came up close to my
boat, No. 4, and said, through a megaphone, "Get out
of the way, or I'll run you down." We pulled and got
clear, and the submarine hailed me and asked if I was
the captain, and added that we were very foolish, and
further "I am sorry for you, but you will drown."
The submarine then went to the boat the captain was in
and ordered him to come on board the submarine. The
captain did not reply, and the command was again
repeated. The captain still made no reply. The third
time the command was given "Come on board, quickly,"
at the same time pointing a revolver at the captain, who
then went on board the submarine. A torpedo was
then fired at the Rowanmore by the submarine, which
then submerged. The Rowanmore sank at 2.42 p. m.,
October 26th, she being full of shell holes.
At the time the crew took to the boats the wind was
moderate to fresh with a heavy sea. The rise and fall
of the boats in the heavy sea was from 15 to 20 feet, and
there was great risk of the boats being first smashed
against the ship's side, and later of being swamped in
the heavy sea. All of the crew, however, fortunately
were saved, being picked up by one of H. M. ships and
landed at Bantry Bay, 10 a. m., Friday, October 27th.
There were two American citizens on board and five
Philippinos.
G. R. WATSON.
Subscribed and sworn to this thirtieth day of October,
1916, before me.
HUGH H. WATSON,
American Vice Consul in Charge, Liverpool, England.
[Seal of the American Consulate.]
[Inclosure 2.]
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND,
County of Lancaster, City of Liverpool, Consulate of
the United States of America.
I, Albert Sessler, being duly sworn, make oath and
say:
That I am an American citizen, born in Boston, Mass.
That I am twenty-eight years old.
That I joined the British S. S. Rowanmore as a trimmer
in Baltimore, Maryland, October 14th, 1916.
That on the morning of October 26th, 1916, I came
off watch at 6 a. m., and went immediately to my bunk.
Between 8.30 and 9 a. m., I was awakened by a fireman
who told me to get my clothes on quickly as I could, as
a submarine was after us. I dressed and went up on
deck. Shells were then falling all around the ship and
close to it, but I saw none strike the ship. I got a life
preserver and got into a life boat and about ten minutes
later we were lowered, the shells falling continuously.
This was somewhere around 9 a. m. A heavy swell was
running, making it dangerous to be out in small boats.