[Inclosure 8.]

Statement of Mr. Alberto Piscione, passenger on board S. S.
"Ancona."

The following facts concerning the loss of the Ancona were brought out in a conversation with Mr. Alberto Piscione, first cabin passenger on board the Ancona.

Mr. Piscione was at lunch when about 12 m. on the day of the disaster he heard a cannon shot, followed by others. He went out on deck with his friend, the Duke of Cassena. There was a great panic on board. He saw a submarine 400 or 500 meters on the starboard beam firing at the Ancona. He and his friend started to get into a lifeboat. It was so crowded that he got out and started to get into a second boat.

The wireless apparatus was brought down by firing and fell across his shoulder. While getting into the second boat he and the Duke of Cassena were both wounded. This boat was also so crowded that they got back on deck. They finally got into a third boat, in which they got away from the ship.

Mr. Piscione did not observe the actions of the captain at all. The submarine fired from 40 to 50 shots until within 50 meters, at which range the last two shots were fired. The officers' mess room was completely destroyed.

He observed a group of men, women, and children still on the ship after he left; and these, he thinks, all went down with the ship after the torpedo was fired.

He did not observe exactly when the submarine hoisted the Austrian flag, but supposed it was after the Ancona had hoisted the Italian flag. After the boats were lowered his boat and another kept together; the others scattered. The sails in his boat were lost, and the other boat, in which was Mrs. Greil, took his in tow. He later got into Mrs. Greil's boat, due to overcrowding of his own.

The submarine did not fire on the lifeboats in the water, but followed some of them for about two hours. It did not attempt to rescue anyone except a chambermaid, who refused and was afterwards picked up by a lifeboat. Some of the crew of the submarine yelled to men in the water, "get away, cowardly Italians."

The Ancona first tried to escape, but stopped when the submarine overtook her. He, the passengers, and the French officers of the Pluto were convinced that the submarine was German and would have hoisted the German flag if the Ancona had hoisted other belligerent flag than the Italian.

The boats proceeded until about seven o'clock that night, when they were picked up by the French cruiser Pluto, which took them into Biserta, where they arrived about midnight.

He described the submarine as a new boat 80 to 90 meters long with two guns. He stated that probably the greatest loss of life was due to drowning, but many were killed and wounded on board the Ancona by gun fire.

The above statement was made in our presence and is correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

J. P. JACKSON,
Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy,

Assistant Naval Attaché, Rome.
WILLIAM GARGUILO,

Secretary of the American Consulate, Naples, Italy.

[Inclosure 9.]

Sworn declaration of Isaac Strachlevitz, passenger on board S. S. "Ancona."

AMERICAN CONSULATE SERVICE,

Naples, December 1, 1915.

Be it known that on the first day of December, 1915, before me, Jay White, consul of the United States of America in and for the city and consular district of Naples, Italy, residing in the city of Naples, duly commissioned and sworn and by law authorized to administer oaths and affirmations, personally appeared Isaac Strachlevitz, now residing at the Sailors' Rest, Naples, Province of Naples, Kingdom of Italy, whose home address is Western Australia, and being by me duly sworn did depose and say:

I was born in Kisschnokk (Bessarelia) May 18, 1889, that my father's name is Meir Strachlevitz;

I embarked on the S. S. Ancona at Naples on the 5th day of November, 1915.

ISAAC STRACHLEVITZ.

Sworn and subscribed this first day of December, 1915.

JAY WHITE, American Consul.

1st Interrogatory. Where were you when you were first conscious that something unusual was occurring on the S. S. Ancona?

To the first interrogatory he saith: I was sitting on the third-class

deck playing "dominoes" with three friends.

2d Interrogatory. What at first attracted your attention to the disturbance?

The explosion to side of the ship; it seemed to be about forty feet away from the ship.

3d Interrogatory. Were you on deck or below?

On deck.

4th Interrogatory. If you were on deck did you have a clear vision of the submarine?

No.

5th Interrogatory.

How did the submarine announce her pres

ence to the S. S. Ancona?

By a shot. This shot sent a jet of water into the air as it struck the sea.

6th Interrogatory. Was any warning given by the submarine to the master of the S. S. Ancona that he should stop?

I do not know.

7th Interrogatory. If a warning was given to the master of the S. S. Ancona by the submarine, how promptly was that warning obeyed by the master of the S. S. Ancona?

I do not know if a warning was given.

8th Interrogatory. If you have any well founded belief as to the nationality of the submarine, state upon what facts that well founded belief is based.

I was not able to form an opinion.

9th Interrogatory. Did the submarine display a flag?

Yes.

10th Interrogatory. If so, what was the nationality of the flag displayed?

I do not know.

11th Interrogatory. Was the flag displayed by the submarine when her presence was first known to the S. S. Ancona; if not, at what period of the attack was the flag of the submarine displayed?

The submarine had no flag displayed when she began her attack of the S. S. Ancona, but raised her flag some time afterwards. This was done after the firing had begun.

12th Interrogatory. Are you conversant with European languages and customs; if so, was there anything that came within your knowledge, observation, or hearing that caused you to form an opinion that the submarine or the crew of the submarine were of another nationality than that of the flag displayed?

I speak English, French, Hebrew, and Yiddish. I have no personal knowledge as to the nationality of the submarine or of its

crew.

13th Interrogatory. Did the master of the S. S. Ancona in your judgment, stop the steamer within a reasonable length of time after the submarine had given warning, if warning was given?

I can not state.

14th Interrogatory. Did the submarine fire on the S. S. Ancona after the Ancona had hove to?

Yes; she did.

15th Interrogatory. Had the passengers remained on board the S. S. Ancona after the attack of the submarine what, in your judgment, would have been their fate?

They would have been all lost.

16th Interrogatory. What was the fate of those who remained on board the Ancona?

I do not know.

17th Interrogatory. Did you, personally, seek safety in a lifeboat? Yes.

18th Interrogatory. What would have been your fate if you had not sought refuge in a lifeboat?

I would have been drowned.

19th Interrogatory. How long a time after the warning signal for the passengers to take to the lifeboats before the ship was torpedoed? I think about half an hour.

20th Interrogatory. Did the submarine cease firing while the passengers were being embarked in the lifeboats?

No.

21st Interrogatory. Did the submarine give any assistance or make any effort to rescue the passengers and crew after the ship had been torpedoed?

No.

22d Interrogatory. Did the submarine fire on the lifeboats after they had left the ship?

I do not think so.

23d Interrogatory. What flag was flown by the submarine?

I do not know.

24th Interrogatory. What warning shots were given?

The first shot I know of was that mentioned in my answer to the second interrogatory.

25th Interrogatory. Whether the vessel was being fired on while the passengers were leaving?

Yes.

26th Interrogatory. Time allowed for such taking off?

The only time between the shots was of a few seconds seemingly. 27th Interrogatory. Whether vessel sank before all the passengers were taken off?

I do not know.

28th Interrogatory. Were there any other vessels in the neighborhood?

I do not know.

29th Interrogatory. What was the conduct of the crew during the taking off of the passengers?

Every man was looking after himself.

Last question unnumbered. Do you know any of the survivors of the S. S. Ancona who could corroborate your statement? To the last question, unnumbered, he saith: No.

ISAAC STRACHLEVITZ.

Sworn and subscribed to before me this first day of December, 1915.

Sworn Declaration of Domenico Tambone, passenger on board S. S. "Ancona."

AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVICE,
Naples, November 26, 1915.

Be it known that on this twenty-sixth day of November, 1915, before me, Herbert Carlson Biar, Vice Consul of the United States of America in and for the city and consular district of Naples, Italy, duly commissioned and sworn and by law authorized to administer oaths and affirmations, personally appeared Domenico Tamboni, now residing at the Asilo Degli Emigranti (Emigrant Shed) in Naples, Province of Naples, Kingdom of Italy, whose home address is 302 Thirtieth Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, United States of America, and being by me duly sworn, did depose and say, I was born at Molfetta, Province of Bari, Italy, about thirty-three years ago, but I do not know the date of my birth. I am an Italian subject.

I embarked on the S. S. Ancona at Naples on the fifth day of November, 1915.

TAMBONE DOMENICO.

Sworn and subscribed to before me this twenty-sixth day of November, 1915.

HERBERT CARLSON BIAR,

Vice Consul of the United States of America.

Question No. 1. Where were you when you first were conscious that something unusual was occurring on board the S. S. Ancona? In the third-class dining room.