New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-15
FATE OF HAMBURG SHIP
ABESS|N|A UNCERTAIN
Armenian Had Her in Tow, but
Lost Her in Hurricane,
Line Here Learns.
NO WORD SINCE SATURDAY
Cedric, Which Stood BY the
Freighter Till Other Help
Came, Arrives with Story
of Great Storm.

of Great Storm.
The fate OF the Hamburg American
Line freight steamship Abessinia, which
was disabled in the hurricane that swept
the mid-Atlantic on January and g. stu
remains in doubt Captain j. o. Carter
of the White Star steamer Cedric, which
stood by after seeing the Abessinla as
tress signals said on his vessels arrival
yesterday that he was unable 10 state
certainly that the White Star freighter.
Armenian. which responded TO his wire
less for aid for the drifting steamer had
reached her.
Soon after he resumed his way toward
New York. Captain Carter said me
weather became thick and there was
possibility that the rescue ship missed
the Abessinia In the fog Up to inc tne
he passed out of the range of tho At
menian's wireless the two steamers han
not met. Late in the afternoon word was
received At the Hamburg American Line
offices that the Armenian reached the
Abessinia and had taken her I'm tow,
ONLY 10 lose nFT ldcN HdN'lNpFH
said. also that the Pisa. another Ham
American freghter: was on her way
to assist the drifting ship.
A wireless message from the Armenian
last night gave here position as 100 miles
from New York at $50 r. m. The mes
sage made no mention Of the AbesSlnla'
and II was assumed that the Armenian
was proceeding after failing TO find the
disabled liner.
When the Cedric arrived yesterday af-
ternoon she was thirty hours behind
schedule. Onicers told of passing through
a storm on Friday night. during which
the waves were mountainous and the
wind tore through the rigging at 40 miles
an hour. The ship was battered and
showed signs OF a hard voyage. but no
material damage was done.
Captain Carter supplemented the wire
less reports received here that the Cedric
had sighted the Abcssinia in distress and
had stood by until aid was practically at
hand. While the Cedric was In latitude
$40, longitude $3.50 he said, about b
o'clock Saturday evening. he sighted the
Abessinia with two red lights showing,
indicating that she was not under con-
troll. Rockets Of distress were also being
set off from her deck.
The Cedric stood by, and Captain car
ter learned that the Abessinia had lost
her propeller in the storm "A week before
and had been drifting holplessly since
without steering gear and with broken
shaft request that the Cedric take
her in tow was made by the disabled
freighter, but because nc had passengers
and mail on board Captain Carter was
unable to comply. He agreed 10 stand
by the crippled steamer until aid reached
her. however, and wireless calls were
sent Immediately.
From as far distant az 80 miles cam"
replies promising aid, but the Armenian
Of the White Star Line, was only twenty
nine miles away and her offer was &C
cepted. She was ahead Of the 'edTic'
headed for New York, but she reversed
her course and steamed for tho Aoes-
sinia, while the Cedric waited. ABOUT
four hours after the first call for assist
ance was sent the lights OF the Armenian
were seen in the distance. The wireless
operator on the Cedric asked If she could
make out the Abessinia. lie replied that
he could. but the Cedric fingered almost
another hour until il seemed certain that
aid was at hand.
Before the Armenian was sighted. how
ever, the weather became rough, and by
the time the Cedric resumed her voyage
the wind had becoem bowling Gaie.
Early in the morning the wind slsckencd
and finally dropped and dense fog set
In. At Z O'Clock word came from tho
Armenian by wireless that she was un-
able TO find the Abessinia.
Late yesterday afternoon wireless
message relayed by the Atlantic Trans
port liner Minnetonlla was received at tho
New York Office OF the Hamburg Amorl-
can Line, which stated that the Pisa, an
other German freighter, was on the way
TO the Abessina's assistance. The Pisa
left New York on January :, bound for
Hamburg.
The fact that the Armenian had finally
succeeded in making line fast TO the
Abessinias bow on Saturday. and then
had lost her again In the fog, became
known through "A wireless received at the
White Star Line agency at Halifax. Two
messages were received there from the
steamer Canada. tho first stating that the
Armenian reported having taken the
drifting freighter In tow, and a second
told of having lost her later iu the day.
The position OF the Armenian was given
as about three hundred miles southeast
Of Sable Island Tho crew Of the
Abessinia, II was said yesterday, num-
bered only forty. She carried no passon-
gers.
The storm into which the Cedric ran tho
day before she sighted tho Abyssinia
lasted nearly twenty -four hours. Passen-
gers were enthusiastic in their praise OF
Captain Carter and the way he handled
the vessel in the heavy seas.
Aboard the Cedric were Sir Andrew H.
Armstrong, who is going to hunt in tine
West. Major F. NJ. Carleton. Captain
G. II. Jellife, r. n. Neale, the new Brit
ish vice-Consul at New York; j. Il. Ste
phenson. United States Nice-Consul at
Liverpool; Judge William II. Vanderbu-gh
and T. Runciman.