The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-11-18
MYSTERIOUS VISIT OF
THE CRUISER LENA
Continued from page one).


tensibly for Vladivostok, so naturally it !
was first thought that some other Of
the interned Russian ships might be
calling at this port on some sort of a
cruise. But after the identity of the
vessel became known then everybody
was at sea again and a number Of peo-
pie went to the water front to try to
, learn what the arrival of the vessel
signifed.
The first thought was that there had
been a mutiny of sailors aboard the
vessel and she had put into Honolulu in
distress, but she came into the harborl
shortly after o'clock with her flags
flying and no signs of distress, so the
mutiny theory was abandoned. In fact
inquiry aboard the vessel goes to dis
credit this explanation, for the few Of
ficers who were willing to discuss the
affairs of the vessel positively denied
such a thing. They strongly denied the
report published by a San Francisco
paper that any sailors aboard were to
be executed. The general condition and
action of the men today seemed to dis
credit any claim of discomfort.
Apparently the vessel came to Homo
lulu for one of two reasons, the first
was to receive orders to proceed to one
of the Japanese ports for the purpose
of taking the Russian prisoners home
or else to receive advices regarding the
situation i'm Russia and Siberia, and
whether it would be wise for the craft
to go to Vladivostok or else to cruise
about for an indefinite period. That
she is to make long cruise is certain
Ia To q
naval station for 5000 tons of Cardiff
coal. She did not run short of coal
to make the trip to Vladivostok, she
b could have made Vladivostok directly
from San Francisco so that the amount
of coal she will take on at this port
indicates she is either to make a long
cruise to parts which can not now be
ascertained, or else she is to make the
D trip from Nagasah or some other Jap
anese port home to Russia with former
Russian prisoners.
The Lena left San Francisco Novem-
Der l. She took the great circle route
up in the region of the Aleutian ISL
ands. At the time she left San Fran
" cisco it was supposed that she would
go to Vladivostok. But she went under
l sealed orders. Captain Anatoly Gnth-
. err, her commander, was probably the
g only man aboard the ssel who learn
e ed what those orders were. 1t is evi.
{ IDENTIFY that they were to proceed to Ho-
I nOlulu for eight days ago, he put hi,
vessel about and changed his course
. from Vladivostok for Honolulu. At the
t time that he changed his course the
t Lena was about 1000 miles from Homo.
t lulu and only about 2,100 miles from
t VladivOstok She had more than a suf
S ficient quantity of coal with which t
II make the run to Vladivostok. Some O.
p the officers aboard her may guess the
, reason for so suddenly and without an!
apparent reason changing the course
u but nobody but Captain Ginther posi-
q lively knows. And he is man o
mystery.
Big as is the Lena, she is about so
: feet in length and of 10000 tons. an,
q great as is the mystery that shroudet
her. it is nothing to the mystery tina
u surrounds her commander. He has evi
Il IDENTIFY not taken any of the officers in
. to his confidence and it is even posi-
y BILE that he may not yet have receive
y any orders for the future movement
y of his vessel. Some of the officers thinl
she is to proceed to Vladivostok an,
others think she may go to Nagasak
after former Russian prisoners Othe
l. officers were of the opinion that tn
ie reason she did not go directly to Vladi
= vostok was that the Russian govern
n ment had ordered Captain Ginther t
make cruise and then go to Honolulu
l. and be advised regarding the conditions
s. at home; if the conditions were espe
cially serious and had a bad look, sh
would not be kept away from home 70
a time. On the other hand the govern
ment might not at the time the Len
left San Francisco have decided abou
transporting the prisoners home an
might have had the vessel put into Ho
nolulu to receive orders whether sh
would be required for such purpose. !
was stated this morning that no order
mad as yet been received aboard tn
vessel.
She is expected to remain in this por
about ten days. Captain Ginthar de
clined to be-iRterviewed this morning
= One thing is certain the vessel will hav
to pay an enormous coal bill. Her de
mand for 5000 tons of coal is the bigges
that has ever been made at this port
~ DlitlSh CIuiStI AlnpHlITlle look o
200 Otons a couple of years ago. Cap
tain Lyon, the commandant of tn
naval station, has communicated wit
the Navy Department for permission t
p give such a large amount of coal as tn
Russian vessel desires. Cardiff coal wi
cost the vessel about $40 ton, so tn
cost will be 100000 for the coal alone
aside from the extra cost of hauling an
Tightening.
The Lena was formerly a passenge
Il vessel but was converted into an auxil
liary cruiser as she had a speed O
u about 1914 knots. The vessel was equip
ped with 8 12O-mllimeter guns, 70 "a
D mlllimeter guns, and s 47-millimete
guns, 20 in all. These guns are mount
j. ed on her forward and after decks. Sh
made her appearance in San Francis
co harbor on September u of last yea