New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-10
RED CROSS Held
FOR NEUTRAL CREW
Captains Proposal to
Hold Germans on Board
Rejected by U. S.
MERCY SHIP MAY
WAIT TEN DAYS
Vessel Fouled by Yacht Diana,
Which Scrapes Paint, but
Does No Other Harm.

Washington, Sept. 0. -Protracted de-
lay Of the sailing of the relief steam
ship Red Cross is not expected by gov
eminent officials, it was said tonight.
After a conference with Counsellor
Lansing, Of the State Department, to-
dav. Captain Rust, Z. S. n, retired,
commander of the ship. prepared to
return to New York tomorrow and
complete his crew, employing only
Americans or other neutrals, by advice
Of the department. An effort will be
made to get former enlisted men of
the American navy.
1t was said tonight that officials Of
the Hamburg American Line, owners
of the ship under charter to the Red
Cross, had asked merely that the de-
parture Of the vessel be delayed if a
new crew were shipped, in order that
they might familiarize themselves
with her machinery and gear. Officials
believe the Red Cross will put to sea
within a week or ten days.
Captain Rust came here to learn il
Great Britain and France might not
be persuaded to permit the vessel to
take her present crew because of their
familiarity with the ship. lie was in
formed that both countries were par
ticular about whom they permitted to
enter their ports at this time, a right
clearly possessed by them as belliger-
ents.
On board the Red Cross yesterday
everything waited on the result Of Cap
tain Rust's trip to Washington. The
OroDOSal he made WAS this:
"If France and England will consent
to allow the Red Cross, formerly the
Hamburg, to sail on her mission Of
mercy and to enter their ports with
her present crew the Red Cross and
the officers of the ship, American
naval officers, will give their words of
honor that none of the crew, neither
the 60 per cent who are not citizens Of
the United States nor the others, will
make any attemnt to leave the ship for
the German army, but will return TO
the United States on board her. The
United States will hold itself respon-
sible for them"
FOuled by a Yacht.
Captain Rust is expected to return
here to-day. lie decided upon the trip
carly yesterday, and at once all the
machinery that was set in motion for
the recruiting Of a new crew was
stopped. The recruiting office that was
opened at ! Broadway assumed an as
pect Of leisure, and the Red Cross,
swinging idly at anchor in the Hudson
near the HGmburg-American dock, at
96th ST., was so dull that when {.
Ledyard Blair's yacht Diana anchored
near by she drifted around on the tide
and collided with her, scraping off some
of her white paint, the mishap was
welcomed by the nurses and surgeons
as 4 diversion. The Diana had her
starboard lifeboat crushed on the
davits and sustained other minor dam
age that will amount to about 5000.
The nurses on board hope fcrvently
that no change will be made below
decks. They are having the time Of
their lives eating the good things pre-
pared for them by the galley crew of
the former Himburg.
One reason the nurses are living high
is that many large dealers in foodstuffs
have made generous contributions Of
tempting fruits and canned things Is
we'll as staple groceries to the Red
Cross for this voyage. Miss Board
man said these gifts had materially
leSsened the cost OF provisioning the
ship.
The i'll wind of tho delay has blown
good to the wounded soldiers. Two
thousand cases Of chloroform and 1000
cases Of ether, ordered with the other
medical supplies, did not arrive till
yesterday. They will be put on board
to-day.
Miss Boardman yesterday received a
cable message from the American AM
bassador in Vienna, Frederic G.. Pen
field, by way Of the Washington Red
Cross headquarters that Austria would
be very glad 10 have two units, or
twenty-four nurses and six surgeons.
The contributions received yesterday
by Jacob II. Schif, treasurer Of the
New York State Board of the Ameri-
can Red Cross, amounted to S9,9s9 81,
bringing the total contributions to date
above the 100000 mark. Following
arc yesterdays gifts above $50: