Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-03
WILL HONOLULU
SEE 3 BRITISH
WAR VESSELS?
Much Speculation as to Where
abouts of Rainbow, Alger-
inc and ShearWater

Inc dTlu SiledTWdteF
With the German cruiser NurnberS
and perhaps the Leipsiz somewhere in
Hawaiian waters, and the Japanese
cruiser IdZumo reported headed west
ward from San Francisco at full
speed, where are the British war-ves-
sels-the Canadian Rainbow and the
two little British sloops Algerine and
Shearwater?
Are they together and looking for
the German enemy?
The latest authoritative report on
the British vessels were that they
were sent from the vicinity of Veto
ria to hunt down the Leipzig.
A report from Seattle tells how the
little Algerine lodged up and down
the coast to keep away from the more
powerful German cruisers. The Seat
tie Postlntelligencer of August Is
gives the following details:
Hidden behind Needle rock. near
La Push, on the Washington coast.
her decks cleared for action, the Brit
ish sloop of war Algerine, which was
twice reported sunk in battle by the
German cruiser Leipzig, was sighted
at l o'clock Friday afternoon by the
British freighter River Forth, Capt. c..
T. Hilder. which reached Seattle yes
terday morning from Portland.
Officers of the River Forth were
much surprised to see the little yes
sci riding peacefully at anchor, for
they had picked up four of the Al
gerine's small boats and had sighted
great quantity of wreckage, tables,
doors, woodwork and other detachable
fittings of the vessel. As the River
Forth came in sight she was signal.
ed by officers on the bridge of the
Algerine and asked to heave to. The
request was granted and soon a small
boat bearing two officers was along
side the big freighter.
Short Of Fuel.
'In the cabin of the River Forth
the commander of the war craft eX-
planned that fearing capture by the
German cruiser Leipzig he had been
playing a game of hide and seek and
was short of fuel. With portfolios
blanketed and doused lights the Al
gerine had been IL Gays on the way
from Mazatlan, Mexico. She was
afraid that the German man-cf-war
was cruising off the cape and feared
a naval engagement with her more
powerful enemy.
Captain Hilder explained that he
was on his way to Seattle for bunker
supplies and was hort of fuel, but
could spare so tons. ;. This was very
acceptable to- the commander of the
Algerine and the work of transferring
the coal in sacks BY means of the
small boats OF. the River Forth was
begun. Ten tons of the fuel had been
placed in the Dunkers of the sloop
Of war when at o'clock in the after
noon the British cruiser Rainbow,
which had been diligently searching
for the Algerine, hove in sight. With
the arrival Of the cruiser on the scene
Of the coaling operations it was decid-
ed that no more of the River Forth s
fuel would be needed and, conveyed
by the Rainbow, The Algerine proceed
ed for Esquimalt, b. c..
Rivals in Harbor.
THE .Algerine and the Leipzig were
both at Mazatlan, Mex, on the day
that war was declared. The German
cruiser put to sea Immediately and
was followed the next night by the
Algerine, steaming with all lights ex.
tinguished and unwilling to engage
the Leipzig. Off the Washington
coast a mysterious vessel believed to
he the German man-of-war was sight
ed, well out at sea. and the Alger-
ines officers decided that they must
face the Leipzig in battle.
THE decks of the little sloop of
war were Immediately cleared for
action. Six small boats, tables, doors
woodwork and all fittings which
would cause flying splinters during a
naval engagement. were thrown into
the sea- One, of the boats drifted
ashore at La Push and was being used
by Indians fishing off the village The
four picked up by the River Forth
were brought to Seattle yesterday.
Hurried Voyage Explained.
The hurried voyage of the British
steamship Prince George, to sea a
few days ago was explained yesterday
when it was learned that she had
been sent down the coast in search OF
the Algerine. The Prince George and
Rainbow had been in constant wire
less communication, and when the Al
gerine was safe in the convoy of the
cruiser the steamer, which was flying
a hospital flag, returned to Esquimalt
! The River Forth left Astoria fol-
Seattle at o'clock Friday morning
She had been held at Portland over a
week on account of fear of seizure
Capt. Hilder took every precaution
coming up the eoast, He kept well
inside the three-mile limit and steam
ed at night with ali lights extinguish
ed. While off Esquimalt bound for
Seattle he passed the AIgerine and
Rainbow making for that port"