The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-11-19
shot AT FLAG
STIRS OFFICIALS
Washington Hopes Turkeys Act
Was a Mistake.
CAPTAIN DECKER REPORTS
Tells OF attack on the Tennessee or
Her Launch at Smyrna-Safety OF
Consulate Is Feared For.

Consulate Is Feared For.
Washington, Nov. l9.-The flag OF
the United States has been fired upon
by Turkey.
Cannon shot were hurled at either
the cruiser Tennessee or her launch
probably the latter-by the Turkish
forts at Smyrna.
Captain Benton G. Decker, of the
cruiser, reporting the incident to the
navy department, gave no details OF
the firing, but said fears had been
felt FOR the safety of the American
consulate.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels is.
sued a statement, in which he said:
1.-The Tennessee proceeded to and
left Vouriah at the request of Ambas'
sador Morgenthau and is now anchor
ed in the harbor of Chios (Schio),
from which Captain Decker's tele'
gram was sent"
Chios is now owned by Greece, 80
the Tennessee is no longer in Turkish
waters. Vouriah is ten miles west OF
Smyrna.
While awaiting further reports
from Captain Decker and others from
Ambassador Morgeithau and Consul
General Horton, at Smyrna, officials
have two theories.
One is that the cruiser may have
been sending a guard ashore to pro.
tect the consulate and Americans and
other foreigners. They draw this from
Captain Deckers statement that fears
had been felt for the safety of the
consulate.
The other is that Captain Decker
had called on Consul General Horton,
who, after returning the call, was be-
ing taken back to shore by the cruis-
ers launch, which may have been re.
turning after hours of entry prescrib-
ed by port officials.
Before regarding the firing upon
the American ship as q hostile act,
officials are inclined to await further
reports, and hold to the belief that
It might have been q misunderstood.
ing of the act of some local Official
which will quickly be corrected In
Constantinople.
Those officials who regard the incf
dent as a misunderstanding Of some
kind, say that had Captain Decker
been convinced that the Turkish forts
were firing upon his ship as an act OF
hostility, the big fighting machine
would not have steamed away to the
harbor of Chios without a further in
cident.
While there is no question whatever
of the right of the Tennessee to pro-
the Mediterranean, the question Of
protecting citizens of England, Russia
and France, which are now at war
with the Porte, may raise delicate sit.
uations.
Secretary Daniels said he was In
doubt whether 1t was the cruiser OF
her launch that was fired on. He
pointed ont that the cablegram re-
ceived from Captain Decker reads
BOAT was fired at" which Is suscep
tible of two interpretations. He re-
garded it as unlikely that a cruiser
would attempt to enter a closed port
particularly one with such shallow
roadstead as Smyrna. He added: 1T
The shot merely was fired across the
DOW of either, 1t might have been in.
ended as an official salute"
The secretary pointed out that the
port of Smyrna is closed. He cited
chat an identical situation arose at
Guantanamo during the Spanish
American war, when the United
States decuared that port closed, and
fired across the bow of foreign mer.
chairman without in any way intend.
ing hostile act.