The sun., 1909-01-01
GRISCOM GOING TO MESSINA
WITH CONSULAR OFFICERS TO
Ard AMERICANS.
Battleship Fleet VIII ne Ordered 70
Sicily II There Is Need Of It-Ust Of
Americans Whe May Have Been In
Danger zone-Bishop sessums safe.

Sicily II There Is Need Of It--Lst Of
Americans whe May Have Been In
Danger Zone-Blshop sessums safe.
WASHINGTON Dec. Sl.-Lloyd c. Girls
oom, American Ambassador at Rome,
cabled the State Department to-day that
he will leave Rome tomorrow. sccompan-
led by several Consular officers, for the
scene Of the disaster. The Prime Minister,
he said. had invited him 10 20 70 Messins
and had offered steamship aocomm ods-
tons from Naples.
He will be accompanied by Bayard
Cutting, Jr.. American Vice. Consul at
Milan. who will be put in charge tempo
rarily Of the Consulate at Meesina. The
interpreter Of the American Embassy at
Rome. memberof the staff Of the Naples
Consulate. and Winthrop Chandler. q
private citizen. will also 20 With Mr..
Griscom to Messina to do special work
in relieving American citizens In distress.
The Ambassador requested that several
thousand dollars be placed at his disposal.
MIR. Griscom added that he expeced TO
be at Messina only a few days and would
return to Rome as soon an he had organi-
lied and distributed the work Of his
subordinates.
Tho Italian Foreign ONCE, Mr.. Griscom
informed the Department, considered
that the estimate Of 10000 dead is not
exaggerated. The Foreign ONCE in
formed Mr.. Grisoom that foreign aid for
the sufferers will be gratefully accepted
owing to the immehdty OF the disaster.
Mr.. Griscom referred to q newspaper
telegram from Messina which says that
Stuart X. Lupton. American vice-Consul
at Messna, IL dead. as well as DIR. Arthur
s. Cheney, the American Consul. and his
wife, and Joseph H. Peiroe, former Ameri-
can Vice-Consul. He said that the nephew
OF the German Consul at Messina on ar
irving at Naples confirmed the death Of
DR., and Mrs. Cheney.
II is believed at the State Department
that the newspaper report from Messins
that Vice-Consul Lupton Is dead is
erroneous. because on the day after ths
earthquake the first news OF the destruc-
ton Of the American Consulate and the
death OF the Consul received by wireless
from Messina was signed "Lupton.'
which indicated that Lupton was alive
at that time. Since then. however. a
second earthquake has passed over
Sicily.
This Is the first word that has reached
the Department as to the fate Of former
vioe-Consul Percs, who was a native
Italian and had served as vice and deputy
Consul since 1900. About a week ago
he was superseded by Vice Consul Lupton.
who was transferred from Valparaiso.
There is a possibility that the American
battleshp feet now stesming through the
Red Sea will he ordered to Messina and
vicinity 20 assist in the relief work. The
feet is due at Port Said at the north end Of I
the susz Canal next Monday. and after a
few days In replenshing supplies OF coal
and provisions the ships may be ordered
to Sicily inst cad OF sdhcring to the orig
button to many Mediterranean ports.
The distance from Port Said to Mes.
sina is about 900 miles and could be
covered in about three days. At best, !
however. the feet would be unable TO
reach Sicily before January 10 or I2 In
view OF the fact that the presence OF the
ships might not then be necessary no
action has yet been taken.
IL was said at the State Department
to-day that the movement Of the feet to |
Messina Is dependent upon the attitude
OF the Italian Government. While no offer
to send the feet to Sicily has been trans
mitted to the Italian Government there
is reason to believe that the Italian For
eign Office Is aware Of the willingness OF
the United States TO lend the aid OF the
IL. al Il,
decision will have to be made before next
Monday. In the meantime the Navy De- |
partment has taken the necessary steps
to change the itinerary in case such action |
is regarded as advisable.
The gunboat Scorpion, station ship at |
Constantinople, has already been ordered |
to Messina. She probably left Constan-
tinople to-day and is expected to arrive
at Messina within two OF three days.
Baron Mayor des Planches. the Italian
Ambassador TO the United States. called
on Secretary Of State Root to-day to eI-
press his qualification at the cablegram
Of sympathy sent by President Roose-
welt TO the King OF Italy and TO thank |
the Government and the people Of the
United States for their generous aid in
contributing to the Red Cross fund,
The Ambassador said the matter Of
sending the battleship feet to Messina
had not leon IN. ntioned. He had re-
ceived no information regarding the
extent Of the disaster.
1T is probably the worst catastrophe
Of it's kind that ever befell the white race"
he said. In India and Japan there have
been such cataclysms OF nature which
have wiped out as many II not more
people than the present earthquake.
We will never know except by an approx
imaton. which will be many thousands
out OF the way. how maui people lost
their lives in this Disaster
Inquiries continue to reach the State
Department to-day regarding the where
abouts Of American tourists who are
TO have heen within the zone
Of the disaster 4 message was received
to-day by the Department from the Amer
ican Consul at Naples saying that cable
with Sicily had not been
restored,
The RI. Rev. Davis Sessums. Protes-
'ant Episcops! Bishop Of Louisiana. who
was supposed 10 have been in Sicily. is
safe in Rome according to q cablegram
received to-day by Senator Foster Of
Louisiana.
Norman Hapgood, editor Of Golfers
Weekly, has requested the Department
to locate Mr.. and Mrs. Charles H. Hap,