File No. 763.72/1384
The Ambassador in Turkey (Morgenthau) to the Secretary of State
American Embassy,
Constantinople
,
December 16, 1914
.
[Received January 13, 1915.]
No. 152]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith, in
duplicate, copy and translation of a note verbale
received from the Sublime Porte concerning the Tennessee incident.
As you informed me that the incident is considered closed, I at first
thought it unnecessary to send the same to you—hence the delay. Upon
reflection I deem it advisable to complete the record and show how
slowly the Grand Vizierate works in these matters. Their answer came
December 6, while the Minister of War’s explanation was received on
November 24.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure-Translation]
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the American
Embassy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Constantinople
,
December 6, 1914.
The Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs begs to acknowledge the
receipt of the note verbale which the Embassy
of the United States of America has addressed to them on November
21, No. 95, regarding the incident which occurred to the captain of
the American cruiser Tennessee while on his
way to Smyrna in his launch.
The investigation made with regard to this matter has proved that the
competent military authorities had asked him twice, i.e., the
commander of the above-mentioned cruiser, to quit the forbidden zone
and to remove his
[Page 780]
wireless
telegraphy but he declared, however, that he could not budge unless
he received order to this effect from the American Ambassador at
Constantinople.
The next morning the launch of the said cruiser was seen, by the
fortresses of the seashore, steering on its way to Smyrna and
passing thereby the zone of the mines without paying heed to the
signals which had been despatched repeatedly from the shore; in
order to stop him a projectile was shot by the fortresses. It is
useless to add that this way of acting was simply to guard him and
the said launch from the danger before it. Besides it is the rule,
in all countries, to apply this method of stopping the crew from
penetrating into forbidden zones when same persist to continue their
way in spite of the warrants given to them.
On the other hand the Imperial Ministry having, by its circular dated
November 10, last, informed the Embassy of the United States of
America at the same time as all the foreign Missions of the closing
of the port of Smyrna Captain Decker was expected to have full knowledge of the
matter, especially since he himself has informed the assistant of
the captain of the Smyrna port, sent to Ourla, that he had received
communication on this subject by the American Government.
By bringing this matter to the knowledge of the Ambassador of the
United States of America, the Imperial Ministry is fully aware of
the fact that your just and clear appreciation of the matter will
agree that the military Ottoman authorities had but done their duty
in these circumstances in order to avoid a serious accident.
