New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-15
7 BOMBS FOUND
ON THE LAPLAND,
DOOMED BY SIGNS
Bottles, with Mysterious
Acids, Lay MenaCing
Explosive Cargo.

An attempt to destroy the cargo OF
the White Star liner Lapland, one OF
The largest carriers of war munitions
since the European hostilities began
was frustrated last night, when two
bottle bombs were discovered aboard
the liner at her pier, at the foot OF
West Twenty-second Street. Either OF
these would have caused an explosion
or a fire, according to Inspector Of
Combustibles Owen Eagan.
John Enright, private detective
was inspecting the ship, just before 6
o'clock, when he chanced to look at
one of the girders which form a
border of Hatch No. 2. Here he saw
two bottles, Of peculiar shape. On
close examination he learned they con-
tanned liquids, one black, the other
lighter in color.
The bottles were planted, the police
believe, in an effort 10 MAIN the ves-
sell but were crudely placed. They
were not hidden, but lay above the
hatch, where almost any passerby might
see them. II was asserted last night
that the bottles were made of time
glass" substance which, after peri
cd, becomes porus, allowing its con-
tents 70 leak through
Enright took his discoveries to the
line office and Police Headquarters was
notified. Captain Tunney, in charge OF
the dynamite squad, arrived at the pier
with two detectives. and was followed
by Inspector of Combustibles Eagan.
The bottles tapered from the wide
bottom toward the pointed top. Here
there was a peculiar indentation. and
the tops appeared 10 have been fused
to the bodies of the containers. Each
was between four and five inches long
and three inches in diameter at the
bottom.
The police believe that whoever
placed the bottles on the matches be-
iieved they would be closed last night.
The force Of the impact would have
been sufficient to break the bottles,
spilling their contents into the cargo,
which would have been ignted. Other
persons, however, surmised that as
the hatches were not closed very
night. but often canvases were placed
on them. the settlers had expected the
hotties to be broken on the sea at the
first storm whi.h would have necessi-
tated closing the matches.
When Inspector Eagan left the pier
he carried, wrapped IN a large envelope
10th bottles. As he stopped TO talk
with reporters, some one suggested that
il might be advisable TO place his
CAPTURES in separate pockets. This he
aid. He explained that they would not
be opened until this morning. but ne
was sure acids formed the principal
ingredients, sufficient 20 do much dam
age to the steamer.
The career of the Lapland has been
eventful since war was declared. Last
March. on her westward trip, she was
reported to have been pursued by
tI-boat after crossing the Mersey bar
This was later denied by the company!
but some Of the passengers maintained
that she has been chased, while others
declared the submarine had warned the
chip. At any rate, zigzag course was
taken by Captain Bradshaw, 10 avoid
crossing the path of "a German under
sea craft.
Three months ago the liner carried
a large cargo of munitions, including
automobile trucks for the British army
but she was unmolested. In July there
appeared upon a white enamelled door
panel the words, Der Kaiser wird Dlch
schon holen," translated, reading, The
Kaiser will get you yet" There was
aIeo marked on the foremast an Iron
Cross. -.
Another report was current last
month that the 1900 ton vessel, re-
centIv trauferred from the Red Star
- the White Star fleet, had been tor
,edoed. but the vessel reached this
iort safely