The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-04
LINER QUIETLY
SLIPS FROM PORT
Believed to Be Carrying Coal to
Cruiser Off Sandy
Hook.
MOVEMENTS ARE MYSTERIOUS
On Her Forward Deck Is Box
Large Enough to Contain
Powerful Gun.
MOVEMENTS ARE MYSTERIOUS

NEW YORK, August 3.-Slipping
quietly out of port tonight. her super
structure painted gray, with 5000 tons
of coal and no passengers on board, the
German liner Kronprnz Wilhelm may
be carrying fuel to German cruiser
not far outside Sandy Hook It is
known that the wireless station at
Sayvllle. Long Island, has been work
ing with German war vessel probably
not many miles off shore, and said TO
be the cruiser Karlsruhe
AS required by maritime regulations,
the Kronprlnz Wilhelm took out clear
ance papers. ostensibly for Bremen.
and it was lntimated in quarters sup
posed to be we'll informed that she
would endeavor to make that port by
passing around the northerly end OF
Scotland. What she might really DO
after passing out OF the harbor. how
ever. was a question for her comman-
| der to determine after he had read his
orders. which. according to intimations
at the steamship pier. were to be
opened after she had passed Sandy
| Hook.
LINERS PREPARATIONS
SIIROUDED IN MYSTERY
Mystery shrouded the liners pre-
parations for departure and her actual
sailing. On her forward deck she car
ried box large enough TO contain 4
naval gun of considerable power. The
vessel was constructed for possible use
as a German naval reserve unit in case
OF need. and her build is stanch
enough to stand the strain of firing Il
gun such as the case might have con-
tanned. North German-lIoyd officials.
however, denied that the Kronprinz
Wilhelm had been secretly fitted out
for use for fighting purposes, The box
on the deck was declared to contain
an extra crankshaft. The top was so
Sbn a
the matches.
When the North German Lloyd Line
let II be known late to-day that she
was TO leave port, II was said she
would not sail before midnight or la
ter. -Four hours before this time. how
ever, the Kronprinz left the pier and
steamed down the harbor. Not only
had her superstructurc been painted
gray. but II was reported that after
the vessel had crossed the American
three-mile neutrality zone. her entire
body above water would be given the
same color. Her crew numbers $50
men.
Another war move In connection
with shipping in this port was taken
to-day. when the French government
requisitioned the steamer Rochambeau.
which arrived here tonight, by order
ing this French line vessel turned over
to the French consul. The Rocham-
beau will become a French transport
1t is believed.
Officials of the North German Line
said they had received no cable mes
sages as reported that the KronprinZ-
essin Cecilie, carrying sl3.000,000 in
gold. had reached German port.
MOVEMENTS Or SHIPS
SMALLER EACH DAY
The movement of ocean-plying vcs-
sells is becoming smaller each day.
The White Star Line sold tickets, but
/ n,,,le x-I,i nc
out. The French Line accepted reser-
| vations, but not money. La Lorraine,
| OF this line, was expected tonight to
sail on Wednesday, and the 81. Paul.
| OF the American Line, crowded almost
| to the rails. on Friday. Tho American
and White Star Lines announced that
their vessels would not touch at Cher
| bourg.
| The Fabre Line. sending ships to
| Mediterranean ports. to-day cancelled
all It's sailings. To-morrow's sailing
OF the Lustania under American gov
Cancelled to-day. This will he the first
delay OF malls to Europe. If La i.cr
raine sails on Wednesday. she will
carry the Lusitanias mails
Several transatlantic vessels reached
port to-day. They included the Ro-
| chambcau. the Anchor Line Columbia
I from Glasgow; the scandinavian Amer
! lean liner Frederick VIII, from Copen-
hagen. the Europa, Italian Line, from
Naples.
! The German cruiser Karlsruhe. re-
ported to be in the ncighborhood OF
/ this port, is of 1900 tons diSplacc-
ment and of 5000 horsepower
/ Only the running lights OF tho
! kronprinZ Wilhelm we're up she
} passed out of the harbor. instead OF
/ bearing io ;h" mnrtl;cdstward. as trans
atlantic liners usually do. The kron-
Z ,ti,
/ ported by the steamer Scguranca
| which came in tonight from Santiago.
and passed the German vessel outside
the Ambrose Channel lightship.