Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-26
Scandinavian and Italian Lin.
ers Bring Tales of Hard
ship and Fighting. =.
WOMAN TELLS OF COLLIER
BLOWN UP IN THE ELBE
Campania and France Sail From
New York With Reservists-Am-
bassador Sharp Aboard Latter.

y Z
Americans stranded in Europe at the
outbreak OF the war reached New ork
today with varying tales of hardship
some of them with vivid stories OF
fighting afloat and ashore-on the
Scandinavian line steamer Oscar II
from Copenhagen and the italian liner
Taormina from Genoa, Palermo and
Naples
Among the Oscars passengers was a
party of three who saw from the deck
OF the ship British collier blown up
by a mine in the river Elbe August 8.
The Oscar II brought in 1.104 passen-
gers, of whom 7S4 came in the steerage.
Nearly all were Americans.
The Taormina had 76s aboard and
several hundred of these were Ameri-
cans Sixty-seven Americans came in
the Taorminas steerage.
Among the ships sailing from New
York was the Wilson liner Francisco
with two 4.t-caliber rifles mounted on
her rear deck. These, her officers said
were merely a saluting battery Her
destination is Hull.
Stopped by Warships.
The Taormina sailed from Naples
August Il. Sailing through the Strait
of Gibraltar, she was stopped by British
warships and held up some little time
before she was permitted to proceed.
The homecoming Americans which she
carried were all from Italy and Switzer-
land
The crackle of wireless from war
ships was heard frequently during the
voyage across the Atlantic. and yes
terday the ship passed three British
cruisers between Nantucket and Fire
Island.
The chief hardship. of Americans in
Italy, the Taormina's passengers said,
was their inability to get checks
cashed. There also was difficulty in
the interior to seaports, nearly all
trains in Italy being crowded with
natives returning home from other |
European countries.
1850 Registered at Rome.
Some of the passengers were inclined
to be bitter in their attitude toward
some of the American consular agents
in Italy for alleged lack of attention
to the plight of stranded Americans
there Hotels in Italy, it was said, |
We're housing all Americans possible !
and extending credit to them. The
names, there being more than $500
Americans registered at the American
embassy In Rome alone
The Quebec line steamer Korona
reached port this morning from the
British West Indies She sighted no
war vessels during the voyage Her
omcers said there was a French cruiser
at ST Lucia when they left there Au-
gust 16.
Collier Blown Up.
The destruction of the British collier
IN the river Elbe was described by Mrs.
Emma Muir of this city, who was in
VIENNA at the outbreak of hostilities be-
tween Austria and Russia Mrs. Muir
sand that she witnessed the mobilizing of
troops IN Austria and upon leaving there
again saw armies mobilizing in Germany.
After many DELAYS she managed to get
70 Carlsbad, and August : embarked
with George Mcneil and his daughter
olga on the British steamer Bury for
England.
Proceeding down the river EIbe, they
said. they saw a British collier strike a
nine and blow up with all hands. The
"drS stopped and government boat
anne alongside with the news that Eng
and had declared war Hearing this
ne Burys officers, Mrs. Muir said took
he ship to Hamburg, and the passengers
were sent ashore. Her party went to
the railroad station there and after a
long delay obtained accommodations for
Ter were in Buda Pest when the war
started
MI. and Mrs. Hit Arrive.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Hit, the latter
formerly Miss katherine Elkins, were in
Norway at the outbreak of the war
They said they had made the trip to
Copenhagen without unusual experiences.
Or. Otto Ecker. director of the Ham,
burg-American line. was aboard the
Oscar II. He comes to New York, he
said. to ascertain the condition of the
company's fleet tied up in American
waters. He denied the report that his
mission here was to negotiate loan for
his company.
The Campania with 400 passengers.
many of whom We're said to be English
and French reservists. and the France,
with approximately 800 passengers. most
Of them French reservists, sailed this
morning.
On receipt OF advices from Washing
tcn that all Americans would be out of
tally within d weeks time, the Della
ware and Hudson Steamship Company
'oday cancelled the sailing of the
Eteamship Oceana. which was to have
eft here August 20. to bring back
americans stranded at Genoa.
Ambassador Sharp Sails.
William G. Sharp, newly appointed
AMBASSADOR to France, sailed on the
france. He said that he would not