File No. 341.622a/134
The German Ambassador (Bernstorff) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 16.]
Mr. Secretary of State: In reply to your kind note No. 19191 of the 4th of this month I have the honor to say that the German subjects taken from the S. S. China do not belong to the German military organization.
The German subject Streckfuss, to be sure, was a temporary member of the guard of the Imperial Legation at Peking and the German subject E. Klein was for a while employed as unarmed watchman in the city of Tsingtau, but both had been for some time before discharged from any military service liability. They are non-combatants arid both being over 48 years old are no longer subject to military duty under the law of Germany.
So far as known, the Austro-Hungarian and Turkish subjects taken from the ship are likewise civilians. Yet I would leave it with your excellency to apply to Austro-Hungarian and Turkish representatives on their account.
Accept [etc.]