East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-08-08
WAR IS MENACING THE
COMMERCE OF GOTHAM
WORLDS GREATEST PORT MAY
BE DESERTED AS RESULT
OF CONFLICT.

NEW YORK, Aug. S.-The elimi-
ration Of nearly all Of her great trans
Atlantic commerce is probably the
most striking possibility as the result
OF the general European warfare
which New York has yet had to con-
slider AS the greatest port in the
world this commerce Is of course en-
ormous but ii can easily be demon
strated that practically all of this
would be lost and New York have lit
tie more commerce Of this class than
I Nashville, as the result Of the general
European embodiment As a matter
of fact, Of all the great lines which
Ply between Europe and this port only
six Woul dbe safe from attacks at
sea, that being the number which fly
| the American flag. Because they be-
long to a neutral country they are
safe from seizure. All the other
great liners whether English, German,
French or Italian might expect cap
ture at any moment. In the care of
cargo steamers which do not cater to
passenger trade. the situation is even
more serious and the question OF NOV
ing the countrys great exports as
sumes staggering proportions. Off
cials OF all steamship lines with of.
fices at this port admit a feeling Of
nervousness as to the future condition
Of commerce 1t is believed that
wireless telegraphy will be tested as
never before and that possibly the
whole system may be revolutionizzed
II is pointed out that If a Greek bat
! tleship, for instance. is ordered to
make prizes Of whatever merchant
men she might run across the wire
less operators of Austrian liners at
sea viii in all probability make it diff
ficult or impossible for the battleship
10 receive or send messages Should
this become the case the wireless
would thus play a very important
part in the strategy Of the sea. OF
course this situation could not affect
ships in this, a neutral port. The
! spectacle of New York harbor popu-
lated only by ferry boats. tugs and
car floats without any of the great
liners which are regular visitors here,
affords striking possibility.
While the attention of the yachting
world has been centering on the trip
OF the Shamrock across the Atlantic
for the purpose of lifting the Am
erica's cup, a much more remarkable
voyage which started here with Ire
land as its objective is now under
way. This is the voyage OF new
power life boat only SO feet long for
which it is claimed that 1t is air-tight
and unsuitable. The wife of the in
ventor will accompany him in the
tiny craft on the long voyage across
the Atlantic. together with a crew of
four men. The voyage is being un-
dertaken as a demonstration to Euro
pean countries, to which the inventor
/ expects to sell il, of the abilities of
the boat. There are many interest
ing features such as automatic VEN
tilators which close in a heavy sea
and make the cabin alright; wire
less apparatus which can send mes
sages. one hundred miles and receive
them from a distance of from six
, hundred to one thousand miles; an
electric stove on which the meals
will be prepared and which cannot
work when the wireless is working;
the 32 horsepower gasoline engine
which furnishes the power and the
boats ability To roll completely over
without suffering any damage About
( the only thing that can happen to it,
! II is claimed. is to be run down by
liner at sea The inventor is not
: worrying over this possibility, how
/ ever and expects to reach the other
| side safe and sound sometime about
the middle of the month.
The old familiar chalk marks
which members of the hobo frater-
nifty have been wont to place on gate
posts and water tanks for years have
been abolished. and in their place
there is an entirely new system of
signals. This, at least. is the infor-
nation given to a city official here
who was formerly an amateur no.
bo" for sociological purposes While
II may take some time for the new
system of chalk-marks to spread
over the country the house owner
by chalking up some of these him
self can undoubtedly secure some pro-
lection. that is. IL he believes in
signs The first of the lot and the
simplest. which seems also to afford
the best protection, consists merely
of circle with a small crescent in