The New York Times/1916/11/22/Caught U-53 Message Sent to Bernstorff
Captain Angelo Sturlese of the Italian liner Dante Alighieri, which arrived yesterday from Genoa, told of an interesting wireless message he had picked up on the eastward voyage, which was sent by Commandant Hans Rose of the submarine U-53 to the German Ambassador. The Captain said that he left New York on Sunday, Oct. 8, about four hours after the West Point had been sunk off Nantucket Lightship, and took a zigzag course southward.
“At two o’clock on Monday morning,” Captain Sturlese continued, “the chief operator picked up a message from the U-53, calling Siasconsett station. No answer was received, and after repeating it three times the German submarine flashed this message broadcast in the hope that it would be picked up by some friendly ship and forwarded to Washington:
“Count von Bernstorff, German Ambassador, Washington:
“Have sunk several merchant steamships today. Am looking for nine more vessels.
“COMMANDANT U-53.”
Captain Sturlese said that he zigzagged for five days after leaving New York, but did not see or hear anything more of any German submarine.