New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-05
UNKNOWN STEAMER
BURNED AT SEA
No Signs of Life Aboard
Vessel Discovered by
the Seydlitz.
LINERS RUSH TO AID
AT WIRELESS CALL
All Hands Believed Rescued by
Some Ship Not Having
Radio Apparatus.

Halifax. n. s., May 4-An unknown
steamer. on fire from stem TO stern and
with no signs of life on board. was dis
covered 900 miles south OF Cape Race to-
day by the steamer Seydlitz. from Brem-
en- for New York Her position was given
as latitude a n north and longitude 81 :o7
west The Seydltz Immediately called BY
wireless for assistance. and response
came from the Franconia, fifty miles TO
the eastward. bound for Boston, and the
Olympic. 200 miles to the west. headed
for New York.
The Seydlitz circled around the burn
ing vessel. but the smoke hung so heavy
about her that her name could not be dis
tinguished.
As no small boats were discovered n
the vicinity. and as the Olympic had
passed not far from the scene twelve or
fifteen hours before, it was believed here
to- might that the unnamed vessel caught
fire some time after midnight and that
all hands were rescued by some ship
which had no wireless.
The weather on the Grand Banks to-
day was moderate. and 1t was thought
that any transhlpment could have been
accom-, plished with no great amount OF
difficulty or danger
SO far as learned tonight no steamer
equipped with wireless reported herself
in distress. although part Of wireless
message picked up from some westbound
l.1N
ing boiler and engine trouble and was
making slow progress into New York.
The position, as given by the Seydltz.
placed the burning steamer slightly
nearer to Cape Race than to Sable Island,
but the radio station at Sable Island was
the first to pick up the message.
The wireless message from the Seydltz
reporting the discovery OF the burning
vessel was picked up late this afternoon.
No further word from the Seydlitz had
been Received this evening. and continued
attempts OF the wireless stations 10 COM
municate with her failed. The static con-
ditions were bad. but It was believed that
further particulars would soon be re-
ceived from the SeyditZ. the Franconia
or the Olympic.
Other steamers which are likely 10 have
been within the zone Of the Seydlitzs
wireless call are the westbound Pennsyl-
vania, Of the Hamburg American Line
Hamburg for New York; the kronprinz
Wilhelm, Of the North German Lloyd
Bremen for New York; the French
liner Floride, Havre for New York;
the eastbound Pannonia, Cdnard liner
New York for Mediterranean ports; the
Philadelphia, of the American Line. New
York for Plymouth, and the Pretoria,
Hamburg American liner New York for
Hamburg. The eastbound vessels are in
the lane fifty miles south of the west
bound ships
Marine circles here were inclined 10 be-
lieve that the vessel on IRE off sabel
Island was a freighter or an oil tank
vessel \ number OF ocean liners were
first checked up as being I'm that vi
cinity, but the names OF most Of them
were promptly mentioned as among the
vessels which went to the burning
steamers aid
The fact that the stricken ship sent no
wireless calls, but was sighted by the
Seydlitz, which asked for help i'm her
behalf, further indicated that she was a
craft Of no considerable size. having no
wireless.