The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-13
FIRST BIRMINGHAM TOURIST REACHES HERE FROM EUROPE Hubert Kinney Tells of Fa- nous Race of Mauretania
 Into Halifax
PASSENGERS WERE
 KEPT IN IGNORANCE
Journey From Halifax to New York In Day Coaches Was Hardest Part of Trip-Birmingham
 Looks Good To Him

Hubert Kinney is the first Birming- ham European tourist to return home. He reached here yesterday from New York after being aboard the Mauretania. which was chased by two German war ships and ordered into Halifax. Novia Scotia, by the British cruiser Essex.
 The thrilling race of the Mauretania with all lights blanketed and with the
 passengers aboard excited by the per
 picking actions of the big liner was
 the occasion for wide interest in this country. The efficiency of the British ship Essex in protecting the Mauretania from capture by the German men of
 war and the other exciting incidents connected with the race were all mat ters of wide discussion on this side of the Atlantic.
 Mr. Kinney yesterday said that the passengers aboard the ship knew less of what was happening than persons on shore in New York or London He said the first thing known was the or ders of the captain to put in to Hal | flax which was not explained. He said | that even the stewards of the ship were told not to say one word about | the destination of the Mauretania or what had caused the ship to reverse itself and put into Halifax instead of going to New York.
 | MT. Kinney was greeted yesterday at
 the station by his mother, Mrs. F. c. | Kinney. of this city; his grandmother from Dayton, O., who is here with her daughter. Mrs. Kinney: by Mrs Bert Throckmorton sister, and his nephews. Frank and Culpepper Exum,
 and his niece, Lestra Exum.
 Left Paris July 3l
 MT. Kinney said that he left Paris July 31 and sailed on August 1 from Liverpool. He said the only inconven- fence of the trip was the journey from Halifax to New York, when most of were compelled to occupy day coaches for the two days trip.
 War in Europe will last four of 1 five weeks, according to the opinion the passengers from the Mauretania said MT. Kinney We left Liverpool
 just when Germany declared war on
 France and England had not acted on
 the German ultimatum. We were in midocean when l was later told the wireless message of King George of
 England was received aboard and was read by the captain of our ship. It was only short time after that when we noticed q shifting of the ship and inquiries to the captain brought the | information that we had been ordered into Halifax by the cruiser Essex. The
 wireless message was never printed or posted for the passengers
 The captain confessed sometime
 later that we had been chased by two
 German warships. However, l did not see them. There was quite little ex-
 citement aboard but no one knew the exact cause of all the commotion on
 account of the strict orders of the cap
 tain not to talk. This was to all em- ployes. even the stewards. Some of the passengers said they had observed two searchlights which they believed were from the German warships said to have been chasing our ship. have thought all along that the lights we saw were
 from the Essex which acted as con- ,voy.
 q have no doubt but what persons | on land could appreciate our dramatic entrance into Halifax better than we could on account of the persons on board possessing little, if any. informa- tion
 "The men on our ships thought up until last Saturday that the Cunarder would carry us on to New York How lever, at the last minute this was proven unfounded and we caught the Hast train from Halifax to New York That was hard travelling as we only had day coaches and the trip was of Hong duration The Cunard line had nothing to do with the Mauretania as lit had been commandered by the Eng fish government so We had to pay our
 own expenses from Halifax. I believe
 that will be refunded later on.
 "I was told that I caught the last train from Paris for London. I doubt
 that However. I jumped into London
 and then to Liverpool without the
 slightest reservation on the Mauretania.
 Luckily was given a good stateroom, the reservation for which had been lcancelled only a few minutes before sailing by some other party. Coming over the same gayety that features ltransatlantic steamers was carried on until the Essex ordered us into Hal flax and then we all knew that the
 countries of Europe had been plunged into war.
 Il Left Smith Party At Liverpool ' sI left the Zac Smith party at Fish II guard and did not see any Birmingham lOontanuaA on Lant PagoN