The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-07
LINER MAURITANIA REACHES HALIFAX VOYAGE DRAMATIC Mammoth Steamer Flees War-Stricken Europe
 With 240O Passen-
 gers Aboard

 Atlantic, the mammoth dunard liner Ssauretania, from Liverpool for New York, arrived at Halifax today with 24e0 passengers, mostly Americans fleeing from war-ravaged Europe.
 Passengers and mails will be landed here.
 At Il 80 o'clock Wednesday night while off Sable Island >the Mauretania was warned by the British cruiser Es- sex to change her course without~d delay and head for Halifax. The helm was shifted so quickly many passengers, 1oited by the shock as the ship reeled. believed the steamer was turning tur- tie.
 Under the highest pressure of her turbine engines. with all ports blanket- cd and not a light showing, the vessel sped over the TAO miles that lay be- tween her and safety from German cruisers. Behind her came the Essex, whose searchlights at night could be seen flashing across the horizon as she scanned the waters for the enemy.
 The Mauretania's passengers were not officially informed of what had oc- cured They had received no intima- tion of the declaration of war.
 The Mauretania sailed from Liverpool at 4:55 p. m, August 1, amid great excitement. Many would-be passengers were left on the piers. From the mo- ment the big liner left the officers were on the alert and Halifax was feld in mind asNan alternative port.
 When in the midst of thick fog off Sala a1n Tel anl o xxrf,.a 1ncS mo c a or from tiie Essex gave urgent warning to make full speed for Halifax the Cu- harder was 3S0 miles from New York and 140 from this port. Lurking some where in the fog was a German cruiser. but guarding the lanes of steamship travel were British warships.
 The Mauretania's daily runs from noon to noon of each day were to noon Sunday 5S5 miles; Monday, 610 miles; Tuesday 592; Wednesday,, 5SO, and then the 515 miles to Halifax, total Of f8S2 miles The actual running time ocrld have been reduced six hours by a direct route Six hours more were losr in fog and in dodging steamers and cruisers, bringing down to three days and 20 hours the time in which the ship could have covered the dis- tance from Liverpool to Halifax.
 Under pressure the Mauretania made the marvellous run of 211a knots during the early hours or tHiS iioiiiiii5 iioi o craze speed was 26.06 knots.
 When the purpose of the change of course was learned. there was wild ex- citement among passengers. Among the 500 first cabin passengers, many are prom inent in business. professional and church life of this country.
 A report went the rounds of the shir that late last night a flash of light was seen over the stern Of a cruiser. followed by the report of q gun. Many believe some warship had fired on the liner. Of ficers could not substantiate the report but several believed it was true
 Neither officers of the ship nor officials of the company would say what would be done with the Mauretania, but it was be- lieved by the former that she would be taken to New York under escort and then to Liverpool where she would be used for transport service within the lines.
 The water front was crowded with cheering throngs tonight as the Cedric steamed up the harbor, followed by the Essex. stripped for battle The Cedric decks were thronged with passengers, all happy at having reached port safely. She had been out six days.
 "It was the most exciting passage of my experiences, said Dr. J. B. Mur- phy of Chicago, retiring head of the Clinical Congress of North America, on board the Mauretania.
 "All the way across we have been seeing German cruisers every 15 min utes, to judge by reports. We knew the ships. course was changed when we felt the ship heel over. Some of the passengers got on deck and re ported that we were going due north We ran for a little while then stopped When we started up again l should think that every record for passenger ships was broken from the rate we Jcade.
 "WheA the sailing of the Imperatol was cancelled there was terrific scramble for accommodations. I hac booked by the Mauretania but the ma. ,ority of the other 1900 doctors iron this side were, returning by various German boats."
 Tremendous Excitement
 Dr. Charles H. Mayo of Rochester E1inn., who was elected president O the congress this year, said there wa. tremendous excitement all through tn. voyage. The Mauretania was escorted out of Queenstown by British cruiser and there had been nothing but ru mors of impending capture ever since.
 Commissioner Lamb, head of thu Salvation Army immigration service. passenger, said that when the linel headed around slast night and started racing for Halifax, the. vibration O. the ship convinced those on board tha' something unusual was taking place.
 Nearly exhausted from three dayi spent continuously on duty In the en zine room, Chief Engineer James Car ruthers of the Mauretania declared thu Mauretania could have done severa knots better than she did last nigh had there been any real urgency.
 .Why. we just loafed along fol hours" he, said. For time we were only running about 15. then we cracked on a bit and hit her up to 19 knots When he got the full speed telegraph We struck 25 knots, but had there beer my Germans directly astern of Us thu engine room staff had few tricks III their sleeves still. I don't believe ther' ia a protected cruiser afloat that car catch the Mauretania."
 Capt Charles kept constant WEI during almost the entire voyage rol three days he stuck to the priqge O hIs vessel, getting nota wink or sleei in the 72 hours. Twenty-three passen gers will be held in Halifax as DTS oners of war. They are Germans ans Austrians who could not furnish sufficient proof of their being Amer ican citizens.
 Halifax August 6.-Two transat bound from Liverpool for New York German cruisers.
 The unexpected arrivals were thu mammoth Cunard liner Mauretania an< tho biz Cedric of the White Star line Roth had been warned, by the Britisi cruiser Essex of the presence of hos tl,e vessels in North Atlantic water ~S ra~-tsod <o make with all hasfe fo