File No. 862.85/620
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Stimson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3.36 p.m.]
My October 22, 3 p.m. The Argentine naval authorities yesterday took possession of the two German steamships Seydlitz, 8,600 tons, and Patagonia, 3,000 tons, at Puerto Militar as well as the Sevilla, 5,100 tons, at Puerto Belgrano, and placed upon them a guard of marines as well as naval mechanics to keep watch over the [Page 739] machinery of the vessels. Of these three ships two were interned and one was a refugee.1
No official indication has yet been made as to their ultimate disposition.
- In a telegram of Nov. 6, vol. II, p. 1752, the Ambassador reported further: “A guard was placed upon the other German vessels in Buenos Aires and Rosario yesterday. The official announcement published in La Epoca of last night is that they ‘have been occupied by military forces by order of the Government in the exercise of its sovereignty and in prevision of any possible event.’”↩