DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

SUBMARINE WARFARE. 287
"How many passengers were on board V We answered
78. I think the next thing he said was that there would
be a patrol out in between two and three hours, which
would pick us up. The submarine then went on its way.
That when we were drawing near the submarine prior
to the above recorded conversation taking place, some of
the occupants of my lifeboat were fearful that the submarine
intended shelling the boat and said excitedly,
"They are going to fire on us." I then heard a man on
the submarine laughing derisively at the natural apprehension
and agitation of the occupants of the boat.
That I do not accurately know the number of Americans
who were either passengers or among the crew of
the Laconia.
That there were no casualties, except minor injuries,
in the lifeboat No. 13.
And that we were picked up by a patrol boat between
four and five on Monday morning, February 19th. I
am not quite sure of the time as I was suffering from the
night's exposure in the boat.
G. L. KENNEDY.
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this second day of
March, 1917.
HORACE LEE WASHINGTON,
American Consul, Liverpool, England.
[Seal of American Consulate.)
File No. 841.857/417.
Consul Frost to the Secretary of State.
[Extract.]
No. 304.] AMERICAN CONSULATE,
Cork, Received March 15, 1917.
SIR: I have the honor to transmit hereby, in duplicate,
(i. e., the original and a copy) six affidavits and a sworn
memorandum relating to the loss of the Cunard S. S.
Laconia.
I have, etc., WESLEY FROST.
[Inclosure 1.]
Affidavit of Officers of British, Steamship "Laconia."
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND,
Cork (Queenstown), Ireland.
We, W. E. D. Irvine, captain; A. W. Kobertson, chief
officer; H. Morrison, first officer; G. Jones, second officer;
and C. T. Spedding, purser; of the late British S. S.
Laconia, being duly sworn, do affirm:
That the Laconia cleared from New York on February
17, 1917, bound for Liverpool, with a general cargo
(including cotton, foodstuffs, and nonexplosive munitions),
with 77 passengers and 217 officers and crew.
That on February 25, 1917, when the vessel had
reached approximately a position of 52 N. 13.50 W., at
10.53 p. m. G. M. T., or 9.50 p. m. A. T., the vessel was
torpedoed without any warning whatever, on the star-