On 7 April 1917, while at Shanghai, "Wilmington" received a cable informing the ship that Germany and the U.S. were at war. Events in the Atlantic had resulted in the severing of relations and the commencement of hostilities. In the Far East, the neutral Chinese greeted the news by issuing terms of internment to all belligerent shipping on 5 May. While the gunboats , , , , and were directed to stay and be interned, "Wilmington" got underway on the 6th, within the stated 48-hour limit, and made for the Philippines.