Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-04
OUR FLEET TOO LATE
Ambassador Griscom Cables
Secretary Root.
MAY NOT STOP IN ITALY
Visit Except to Aid Sufferers Con-
sidered Untimely.
SUPPLY SHIPS ARE WELCOMED
Premier Asks That the Celtic Pro-
ceed to Naples and the Culgoa
to Messina.

The prime minister of Italy believes
that the American fleet of battleships
will arrive in Italy too late to be of as
sistance at the scene Of disaster ac-
cording TO a cablegram received by the
of State from Ambassador Girls
com today. That suggestion will be fol-
lowed up by a conference here to deter
mine what disposition is to be made Of the
fleet, as it is not regarded as advisable to
have the fleet touch at Italian ports at
all unless it is for the purpose Of rem
dering aid TO the earthquake sufferers.
had been made at the Italian
ports 10 be visited by the fleet for the
the present circumstances the visit would
hardly be regarded as we'll timed.
Ambassador Griscom also cables that the
prime minister suggests that the supply
ship Celtic should go straight to Naples,
while the Culgoa would be appreciated
at Messna and vicinity if arriving in
three or four days. The Culgoa left Port
Said this morning and should arrive at
Messina within four days and possibly
sooner The Celtic is en- route to Gibral-
tar from New York.
Mr.. Griscom states that he has a tele-
gram dated the I'd from Vice Consul
Cutting at Milan, who has gone to Mes
sina and taken charge of the work there
for Mr.. Griscom. asking for food and
supplies. Mr.. Griscom adds that he is
sending supplies today through the cour-
teSy of the prime minister and expresses
the hope that the Secretary of State will
Mr.. GrlScOm the disposition of a part
of the appropriation to be made by Con-
gress for the earthquake sufferers. In
another dispatch Mr.. GriScom says that
the American relief committee organized
by him in Rome is prepared to advise
and cooperate with all committees in
the United States and to distribute funds
both independently and through Italian
committees, as may seem advisable with
changing conditions.
Americans Reported Safe.
Consul Crowninshield, at Naples to-
day informed the department that
Mead and Garrett are safe at Qufsisana
Hotel, Capri, and that the Misses Lam
sing are believed to be safe at the Hotel
France, Palermo
The Americans referred to are believed
to be Mr.. and Mrs. Edmund III. Garret.
and their son, Julian Garrett of New
York city. DR.. G. n. 7. Mead of Massa-
chusetts and the Misses Lansing OF
Watertown. \. y. The latter are related
by marriage to John w. Foster, formerly
Secretary of State.
Consul Gale. at Malta. cables that Miss
Elizabeth Pitfield of Philadelphia. Wal
ter Kennedy and Charles Williams are
safe. He says that Messrs Kennedy and
Williams are a Taormna. which did not
suffer. He adds that Mr.. and Mrs. Rob-
erts. who were at Messina are missing
Charles Barsotti, editor of IL Progresso
Italo Americana and president of the
Italian relief committee, today tele-
graphed the Secretary of State as fol-
lows:
I'm behalf of the Italian community OF
my newspaper | tender you sincere
thanks for your prompt and generous as
sistance in behalf of our -compatriots af-
f1icted by the recent earthquake in Italy
Italy. Sends Thanks.
Baron Mayor des Planches ambassador
from Italy has received instructions from
his government to express to President
Roosevelt the sincere thanks of the gov
ernment of Italy for the generous aid and
sympathy extended by the President and
people of the United States to the Italian
nation in the,great calamity that has be-
fallen it. The ambassador will call on
the President and fully express these SEN
timents of his government The message
TO the ambassador makes no reference to
the proffer of the services of the Amer
lean fleet now at Suez,, the exchange of
cOmmunica ations on that subject being con-
Quoted throughAhe American ambassador
at Rome. =.
At the Italian. embassy. il wasTan-
nounced that further subscriptions for the
sufferers in Sicily and Calabria will be
received by the Italian ambassador and
Baroness Mayor des Planches and also by
large number of Ladies' prominent in
diplomatic and OFFICIAL circles in this city
The embassy in announcing this plan paid
a high compliment to the zeal shown by
the American National Red Cross, which
also continues to receive subscriptions for
this purpose. The embassy sent $500
yesterday. a.
In response to the suggestion of the
Italian Red Cfoss' Society that a vessel
might be loaded at Genoa with provisions
and sent to the scene of the earthuua ke
disaster. thus giving quick relief to- the
destitute, the American National ked
Cross has cabled, .Sl50OO0 with .ehe sug-
gestion that it. could be used by the Italia n
Red Cross Society;.for the purpose of fit
ting out ship with provisions and medi-
cal supplies. This amount is in addition
to the S1G0 900 and the $4,000 previously
sent by the American Red Cross BY
sending the money instead Of undertaking
to provide for sthes shipment of supplies
the American Red Cross adopted what it
regards as, the best method tor meeting
the emergencies. that face the Italian Red
Cross.
FLEET ENTERS sUEz CANAL.