as
led to the following conclusions:

In regard to the attack on the steamer Gulflight, the
commander of a German submarine saw on the afternoon of May
1, in the vicinity of the Scilly Islands, a large merchant
steamer coming in his direction which was accompanied by two
smaller vessels. These latter took such position in relation
to the steamer that they formed a regulation safeguard
against submarines; moreover, one of them had a wireless
apparatus, which is not usual with small vessels. From this
it evidently was a case of English convoy vessels. Since
such vessels are frequently armed, the submarine could not
approach the steamer on the surface of the water without
running the danger of destruction. It was, on the other
hand, to be assumed that the steamer was of considerable
value to the British Government, since it was so guarded.
The commander could see no neutral markings on it of any
kind--that is, distinctive marks painted on the freeboard
recognizable at a distance, such as are now usual on neutral
ships in the English zone of naval warfare. In consequence
he arrived at the conclusion from all the circumstances that
he had to deal with an English steamer, submerged, and
attacked.

The torpedo came in the immediate neighborhood of one of the
convoy ships, which at once rapidly approached the point of
firing; that the submarine was forced to go to a great depth
to avoid being rammed. The conclusion of the commander that
an English convoy ship was concerned was in this way
confirmed. That the attacked steamer carried the American
flag was first observed at the moment of firing the shot.
The fact that the steamship was pursuing a course which led
neither to nor from America was a further reason why it did
not occur to the commander of the submarine that he was
dealing with an American steamship.

Upon scrutiny of the time and place of the occurrence
described, the German Government has become convinced that
the attacked steamship was actually the American steamship
Gulflight. There can be no doubt, according to the attendant
circumstances, that the attack is to be attributed to an
unfortunate accident, and not to the fault of the commander.
The German Government expresses its regrets to the
Government of