DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

262 SUBMARINE WARFARE.
sinking that the Marina was neither chartered nor
requisitioned by the Government of Great Britain. She
was on the service of her owners, running on her ordinaryberth,
and entirely under her owners' orders and control.
The Marina, on her voyages from America, carried for
the Government of Great Britain a number of animals at
a fixed rate per head. These animals were carried entirely
at the risk and responsibility of the shipowners,
the only difference between these animals and any other
cargo carried being the fact that they were consigned to
the British Government.
Mr. Grew is directed to bring the foregoing to the 'immediate
attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
he is informed that further inquiries have been made as
to whether the Marina was ever in the service of the
British Government and, if so, when and whether it was
customary for the Marina in the past to be in the British
Government's service on voyages from the United
States and in her owners' service on returning voyages.
When replies to these inquiries are received they will be
transmitted to Mr. Grew.
Pile No. 841.857M331/75.
Ambassador W. H. Page to the Secretary of State.
No. 5436.] AMERICAN EMBASSY,
London, December 18, 1916.
SIR: Referring to your telegram No. 4162 of December
11th, 5 p. m., with further reference to the sinking of the
British steamship Marina, I have the honor to transmit
herewith enclosed copies of a note based thereon which
I addressed to Lord Grey on December 12th, 1 as well as
copies of Mr. Balfour's reply, dated December 16th, on
which my telegram No. 5337 of December 18th was
based.
I have, etc.
WALTER HINES PAGE.
[Inclosure.]
FOREIGN OFFICE, December 16 1916.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his
compliments to the United States Ambassador and, with
reference to His Excellency's notes of the 4th and 12th
instant (Nos. 1486 and 1590), relative to the steamship
Marina, has the honour to inform him that His Majesty's
Government were in no way interested in the voyage on
which the vessel was engaged at the time she was attacked.
She would, however, on her return journey have
brought a deck load of horses for His Majesty's Government,
but these would have formed only a small part of
her homeward cargo.
The Marina was utilized for this purpose on each
voyage from the United States to the United Kingdom
1 Not printed.