e concluding passage of the above cited report had already been
anticipated by me in a telegraphic communication in which I begged the
ambassador with all possible energy to urge the political arguments
opposed to the unrestricted U-boat warfare, which is proved by a
telegram from Hohenlohe on January 13 as follows:

Reply to yesterday's telegram No. 15.

In accordance with the telegram mentioned, and after discussing it
with Baron Flotow, I went to the Secretary of State--not being
able to see the Chancellor to-day--and in conformity with Your
Excellency's intentions called his attention to the fact that we
should participate in the results of the U-boat war just as much
as Germany and that, therefore, the German Government is bound to
listen to us also. All the leading German statesmen know that Your
Excellency, during your stay here, expressed _yourself as opposed
to the movement_, but that I had come once more as Your
Excellency's representative to repeat the _warning against too
hasty action_. I further emphasised all the arguments against the
U-boat warfare, but will not trouble Your Excellency with a
repetition of them, nor yet with the counter-arguments, already
known to Your Excellency, that were put forward by the Secretary.
I gave a brief summary of both these standpoints in my yesterday's
report No. 6 P.

Herr Zimmermann, however, laid special stress on the fact that the
information he was receiving convinced him more and more that
America, especially after the Entente's answer to Mr. Wilson,
which was in the nature of an insult, would very probably not
allow it to come to a breach with the Central Powers.

I did all I possibly could to impress upon him the responsibility
Germany was taking for herself and for us by her decision in this
question, pointing out very particularly that before any decision
was arrived at our opinion from a nautical-technical standpoint
must also be heard, in which the Secretary of State fully
concurred.

I have the feeling that the idea of carrying out the U-boat
warfare is more and more favourably received, and Your Excellency
had the same impression also when in Berlin. The last word as to
the final attitude to be adopted by the German Government will no
doubt come from the military side.

In conformity with the instructions received, _I will nevertheless
uphold with all firmness the political argumen