DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

292 SUBMARINE WARFARE.
I tie No. 300.115V68/2.
Case of the "Vigilancia."
Consul Stephens to ike Secretary of State.
[Telegram.]
AMERICAN CONSULATE,
Plymouth, March 21, 1917.
Summary affidavits, crew Vigilancia, ship from New
York, February twenty-eighth, for Havre with general
cargo, sunk in seven minutes, one hundred and fortyfive
miles west Bishop on March sixteenth ten a. m.,
by torpedo from submarine unknown nationality. Periscope
submarine seen. No warning given. No other
vessels in sight. Weather clear, moderate swell. Ship
flying ensign and fully marked. Fifteen crew drowned
in launching boats, of these, six were Americans, five
Spanish, two Greeks, one Peruvian, one Venezuelan.
Submarine unknown nationality followed lifeboats from
ten Friday night until four Saturday morning. Crew,
landed Scilly Islands after fifty-four hours in lifeboats,
suffered greatly from injuries and exposure.
File No. 300.115 II 6/1.
Case of the " Illinois."
STEPHENS.
Consul General Slcinner to the Secretary of State.
[Telegram.]
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL,
London, March 19, 1917.
American tanker Illinois, London to Port Arthur, sunk
Saturday, 8 a. m., twenty miles north of Alderney.
Entire crew of thirty-four landed safe 2.40 a. m., eighteenth.
All hands proceeding to Southampton.
SKINNER.
File No. 300.115 II 6/3.
Consul Swalm to the Secretary of State.
[Telegram.]
AMERICAN CONSULATE.
Southampton, March 23, 1917.
Captain and crew of American submarined ship Illinois
landed here from Guernsey this morning. They number
34, Americans 16. Vessel bound London, Port Arthur,
Texas, in ballast. Submarine sighted twenty miles north
of Alderney March 18th, 8 forenoon. Was shelled without
warning, German submarine. Weather fair, no vessels
in sight, no measures taken for safety of crew and
towing refused. Shelling continued until crew was in
their own boats. Did not try to escape or resist. One
man slightly wounded. Ship finally sunk by bombs
placed in and outside. Crew six hours in boats. Last
ten miles towed Alderney motor boat. Crew sent London
immediately.
SWALM.