as "greif" entered the harbour in arendal at 08:30, she was spotted from "jo". at the time, "jo" had been about to set off for lyngør to join the fellow torpedo boats and in order to operate as a group. norwegian neutrality rules regulated that since arendal was not a protected war port, lieutenant holthe was required to have orders before opening fire at any intruder. as he had no orders or information to act on, and "jo" was in an unfavourable position to attack, the torpedo tubes of the moored naval vessel pointing inland, lieutenant holthe refrained from opening fire.