New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-25
TEXAS SHOT AT?
NO SCAR ON HULL
German Newspaper Story
of Hostile Act by British
Off Hook Denied.

Prompt denisls from Washington
and silence at the Brooklyn navy yard
followed the publication yesterday Of
a story in a German newspaper, the
New Yorker Herold," that the British
squadron pstrolling of New YORK
harbor had fred by mistake q she,
across the bow Of the United States
steamer Texas of Sandy Hook, as she
was heading for the hsrbor on Deeem-
Der %.
A portion Of the story published IN
the New Yorker Herold' reads:
The limit OF British Arrogance has
been reached b. the action OF the con-
mander of a British cruiser who dared
10 order the United States team:
Texas 10 halt H. close proximity to the
New York hsrbor, experimenting the
order by a shot acros. her bow whtn
the Texas d not halt.
"The Texas was bound FOR New YORK.
A few miles outside Of the hsrbor she
sighted the three British wsrships, the
Essex, the Suffolk and the converted
cruiser Caronie. One Of the British
cruisers flashed a signal 20 the Texas,
ordering her 20 halt. But the or1ee'
on the bridge. In the absence OF zap.
tain Grant. who was taking bath, d'o
not paw any attention 20 the order.
The signal was repeated BY the Brush
cruiser. Then a shot was hred across
the bow OF the Texas.
Highly indignant, Captain Grant
came on deck. When he heard what
had happened he Immediately gave o.
ders 70 clear for action. When n.
British commander saw that he could
not bluff the American commander he
turned about. and, followed by the
other British cruisers, steamed away
Orders were given TO the ofesr;
and crew of the Texas not 20 talk about
the occurrence. But it leaked out, and
il was said that Captain Grant wa
censored BY Secretary of the Navy Dan
/ iels for having his ship cleared fo'
action.
zone version of the story is that tn
captain of the British cruiser apollo
gized 10 the American commander De
fore steaming off. claiming that IN IN
snowdrift he could not see the Amer
lean flag and thought her to be Ger
man vessel"
Officers OF the Texas. which Is !
drVdock at the New York Navy lsrc
said last night that on the Afternoon
OF December % several British war yes
sells had been sighted by the snip a
she neared New York Harbor. Noood
could be found, however, who had hear
a shot fired or who had heard OF an
trouble.
Captain Grant is on a leave OF 40
sence and could not be reached. AZ n
naval branch of the Y. NJ. 1. A. !
BROOKLYN. il has been common gossi
among sailors stopping there that ther
was trouble aboard the Texas just De
fore she reached the Narrows. bu
the vessel was not cleared for actor
these men say. but general call !
quarters was sounded, which IS Gus
tomary, however, when war yesse
enters a hsrbor.
Washington, Jan. 24.-ln speeee
before q mass meeting here to-nlgr
TO protest against the shipment g
arms and munitions Of war from IN
United States TO European belllgeren,
John Deyoy. editor OF "The Gael
American" of New York. declared tns
the battleship Texas when approach
ing New York recently was ORDER,
to stop by the British cruisers sSuol
and Essex, and when Captain Iisl
ignored the warning shot was hre
across the battleship's bow. This AZ
of hostility" the speaker asserte'
caused Commander Grant 10 stop NJ
vessel for action. and an engagemer
between the cruisers and the Amsi
lean man-of-war was narrowly averted
Mr.. Dewey said that he referred
the Texas incident and the absence.
publicity concerning IL TO show ms
the American press would not prr
any but English news.