The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-02
Capt. Feeder Says Siberia
Was at No Time
in Danger.
CONFUSION IN WIRELESS
Ship Stopped Sending s o s,
and Some Thought
Her FOundered.
MANY AMERICANS ABOARD
Mrs. Harrison, Wife of Philip
pines Governor, Believed to
Be Among Them.
MANY AMERICANS ABOARD
Special Gable Dispatches TO The Sun.

MANILA, May . saturday.. The Pa
enc Mail steamship Siberia arrived here
to-day and Is now safely tied I'd n. her
wharf. Capt. Feeder says the japanese
wireless station at Forinosa must have
misinterpreted his signals as the vessel
vas never In any danger.
Alarming rumors In regard to the
4. Siberia were In circulation for hours and
II was believed the vessel with her s21
passengers. had foundered m the Island
Of Forirosa. It was reported that she
had run on the rocks near Kasho Island,
ok miles of Taito. but earlier In the day
II was reported by wireless that she had
succeeded in getting of and was proceed
ing under her own steam.
This message. which was sent out by
the Siberia and reiayed by the United
States cruiser Galveston, said the steamer
vas in good condition.
TOXIC May Repeated wireless calls
for assistance were received along the
coast OF Japan from the Pacific Mail
steamship Siberia from early this morn
Ing until 10 o'clock tonight (about 10 A.
". New York time). The o s calls
merely asked for help and gave the ves-
sels position at a point of the coast Of
Formosa. The calls were picked up by
number Of vessels, including the liner
Minnesota OF the Great Northern Steam
ship Company. which was on her way to
Nagasaki and which started at once for
the point indicated. The japanese Gov
eminent sent two steamers, and the
British warship Minotaur. which had
picked UP the calls, rushed at top speed
toward the Siberia.
The fact that the Siberia said nothing
10 the calls FOR help as TO what the
trouble was led to the most alarming
reports The first rumor was that the
vessel was sinking, while 1t was said
a;er that she was stranded and in grave
peril on the coast OF Formosa.
The Siberia sailed from San Francisco
on April for Manila. She carried SCI
Passengers, seveniy-one in the first cabin,
tfty In the second and 400 in the steer.
age The crew numbered 500. Among
Inc passengers are Mrs. Francis Burton
Harrison. wife OF the aforementioned of
the Philippines, and Mrs. John B. Rem
uers, wife OF the newly appointed British
Consul at Manila; Gov. Egan of the
province Of Batanes, Philippines. and a
number Of others sent from San Francisco
BY the insular bureau OF the War De-
partment. Mrs. Harrison. who had been
OIL visit to Japan. boarded the vessel
al Yokohama. Some OF the passengers
mad already landed at the port touched
by the Siberia. The exact number is not
known.
Ire first calls from the Siberia con-
Veyed the information that the Siberia
hsd met with an accident and was in
astress The message was picked up In
mutilated form by the Japanese wireless
sAton at Osezaksi. OF the coast of
hiushiu Island. The message was re-
peated to all vessels within receiving dis
lance and 1t is supposed that several
steamers In addition to those named above
started to the assistance Of the liner.
Ihere was no ship In the radius Of the
wireless calls that could reach the ST.
beria in less than six hours A message
IRON Mr.. Williamson. the American Con-
sui at Tarsui, Formosa, after telling OF
me Siberia's calls fer help, expressed the
-~~i ''ht shc Hdu IOundere0.
George W. Guthrie. the American AM
nassador 10 Japan. Immediately requested
TIE japanese Government to send war
snip to the scene. He was informed that
one steamer had already started and that
another would follow soon. The Japa-
hese Navy Department also made public
Tie following:
The Governor-General of Formosa
cables that Japanese cruiser on her way
70 the Ok!nawa Islands. Off the island OF
h'ushiu, reports that the Pacific Mail
steamer Siberia met disaster this morn.
ing IN longitude 12l 10 east, latitude
-.iO north. She sent repeated calls Of
distress, which finally became indistlnct
NO details of the disaster are known
Inc steamer Kanto Maru has been or
dered to the scene"
Tile Siberia. which Is commanded by
Capt Feeder left Yokohama on April
~ and Nsgasaki April 80 direct for
w Lila Her course would have taken
"eF 10 the east of Formosa.