The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-09
Hollis BOMB DOES
CONTINUED from First Page-)

(COntfnOe0 from FlESt F&S6-J
dent that some attempts at secrecy
were being made.
/. Guards have watched the piers at
which vessels were loading munitions
at this port with greater care than
usual since the Ere on La Touraine.
of the French lire. At the same time,
as an official of the International Mer-
camille Marine pointed out this after
noon. no attempt was made to look
through every package put aboard.
as this would take too much time. In
the absence of details upon which q
definite theory of the explosion AID
fire could be based. varying opinions
were expressed in shipping circles to-
day. one suggestion being that the
explosion was that of some of the dy-
Mantle purchased by Holt. or Muen-
ter, and not yet all accounted for.
smuggled on the Minnehaha by Holt
or an accomplice. Another suggestion
was that II might be the work Of a
German Spy. The IRE on La Touraine
was believed 10 have been the work
OF a spy and definite information was
obtained BY the Suns London cor
respondent after the Lusitanfa disaster
that German spies weres aboard the
Cunarder with the purpose of sinking
the vessel In mtd-ocean X possible.
the submarines being stationed to
carry out the destruction IL the spies
failed. Hollis seemingly vague idea
or lust what ship was to be sunk led
some to the belief that the actual
placing Of the explosive might have
been done by some accomplice. since
otherwise Holt might nave been ex-
pected to be more explicit in his NAM
ine OF the vessel In his letter to his
wife.
A Dangerous situation.
Onicials OF the line here said today
that number 8 hold. In which the
explosion occurred. was filled with
fcodstuffs and general cargo. the am
munition and explosives being slowed
away further aft. This fact, in view
OF Captain Ciaret's report that the
IRE was under control gave the of
iicials confidence that the vessel would
be abs to make port. II Is admitted
that. should the fire reach the hold
In which the high explosives are
stored. II probably would cause an
explosion which would tear the snip to
pieces.
The New York ofYlces OF the line mo-
tified tho Halifax ofiices and the
Canadian marine department ordered
3 government vessel to he made ready
to proceed. TO the assistance OF the
Minnehaha ~ soon ~ Captain Claret
vent word OF his course or asked for
help.
Donhs FognA IN MANY sAipa.
Reports have bAen eurrenf In
nhlppfng circles recently that NM
expleaea he1hs have been fonna
4 IN the holds ~ Ai2srent Atlantic
& transport vessels after --thefr mr.
xlval n EnGlanA, AnA - exnlesten
- boara enc ~ theae vessels was
vs. ut entirely anexp~EfeA. : n~nhs :
/ also have Aeea fsanA - ether ves-
sels saalin9 fsem fkis Dort reeenfr
", ameng fhem TIE ueveM City. the
bsra ESnes - Creastp9tsu Cenrt
ana - pan1ase. All esar vessels
were leAAeA ~ Mroeklyn psors.
Neeret ssrvsee agents ana head
Qaartera 1eteetfvep 80 xe-operat-
ina with ths steanAshfp Hnes ana
the aeen2s ~ tAe Brftfah ard
FrsneA gevernnents In lnvestsgnt-
ing theee benb plots.
Any possibility that the nre might
have been caused BY spontaneous com
bustion was sccuted today ~ men
who had helped to load the AIinnAhaha
lAst week. They sid that foodsAufyss
made mp the hulk az ths cargo ID hold
No. 4. anA that ~ sxplosfon W spon-5
saneoua combusttSn ua9 ont "a ths
XUQLk&lk &t sf es3s III