New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-05


vices from his line officers in New
York. said: 81 can see no possiblhty
Of taking this ship 10 New York IRON
here with safety. To avoid foreign
vessels we should have 20 keep within
the three-mile limit, and 20 accomplish
this The ship would have 20 be bull;
like n canoe. We have reached an
American port in safety, and that was
more than ! had dared 70 hope. We
have been in almost constant danger oi
capture. and we can consider ourselves
extremely lucky 20 have come out so
we'll.
The Captains Defence.
81 know I have been criticised Tor
making too great speed under nae
weather conditions, but | have not VIII
fullv endangered the lives OF the pas
scngers I would rather have lost the
whole shin and cargo than have as
spmed anv such risk. OF course, aside
from this consideration, my one aim
has been 70 save my ship and my cargo
from capture.
81 have not been acting on my own
initiative. but under orders from the
North German Lloyd in Bremen, and
although I am an officer IN the Ger
man naval reserve my duty has oeen 10
the steamship line"
The shin remained at her anchorage
with all passengers aboard, none be-
ing allowed 70 depart throughout the
forenoon. After the passengers lining
the rail had waited several anxious
hours great bundles of newspapers
were brought out in small boats. By
their faring headlines the passengers
first learned the gravity of the situa-
ton. The calm Of the first few hours
was succeeded by wild excitement, but
the captain remained firm in his re-
fusal 70 permit the passengers TO so
ashore.
Passengers Storm Wireless.
Passengers stormed the wireless Of
fee. realizing the anxiety of relatives
and friends concerning their welfare,
and begged TO be permitted to send
messages. Numerous small boats were
hired 10 carry kilograms to Bar Har-
Dor telegraph Offices, and passengers
thronged the deck rails until noon in
an effort to get kilograms ashore.
Six doctors boarded the steamer and
began an examination Of the steersge
passengers. Captain Polsck advised
first class passengers that they would
be provided with special cars on trains
to New York at o'clock tonight, and
the steerage passengers will be sent
TO New York at o'clock tomorrow
night.
Throughout the anxious days and
nights passengers we're much disturbed
by rumors that companies carrying in
surance on the gold and silver had been
instrumental in turning the ship west
ward. II was reported that bankers
who were shipping the gold had or
dered il back TO America. AS the ships
officers were not making public their
wireless dispatches the passengers
knew nothing of what was going on IN
Europe.
Scores of brokers and bankers are
aboard the ship. They heard on Thurs
day of the closing Of the European
stock exchanges, but did not know
until Saturday that the New York ex-
change had closed. A wireless message
for a broker on the ship from New
York was the first news the passengers
had of the closing. This treasured
many passengers who were heavily IN
terested in American securities and had
been disturbed by New York quota
tiOns.
Captain Polack said that his great
est apprehension of capture had been
occasioned by q wireless message which
he intercepted Saturday on the first
day of the return trip. This message,
sent by the captain OF the French liner
Savoie. said that the French armored
cruiser Friant was off the New Found
land coast guarding the fisheries in
that neighborhood.
81 was not sure" said the captain,
chat this vessel had been appraised Of
our whereabouts, but / knew that when
they were il would mean certain capt
ure unless we could circle them. The
fog was in our favor"
Warned by Wireless.
Yesterday the captain caught wire
less from the British cruiser Essex,
warning other ships of the Cecilie's
approximate position. One OF the off,
GERS states as a fact that the kron-
prinzessin Cecilie had been pursued by
a French cruiser. This, however, was
disbelieved by the other officers on
board.
On Sunday Captain Polack's unessi-
ness became acute. Forty-eight French
i fishing schooners off the island of
Miquelon were sighted, and the Kron-
/ prinzessin Cecilie changed its course
/ to avoid them. Wireless operators of
/ the vessel caught a message exchange
/ by French vessels urging that sharp
/ lookout be kept for the Kronprinzessin
/ Cecile. Captain Polack was unable to
discover the exact location of the ships
and their character, but as French
wsrships usually afford the Miquelon
/ fishermen protection, he was very APP
prehentive and spoke frankly TO dele
/ cations of passengers who visited him
to protest against high speed in the
/ fog which hung over the Grand Banks.
Many wireless messages exchanged
by British vessels were caught by the
wireless operators of the steamer Mon
day AFTERNOON and night, and Captain
Polack was in constant fear of inter