The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-22
.. S. ORDERS PROBE
FOR The EVELYN

which pass through the Irish Sea on the
way to Liverpool.
British War Vessel Sunk?
The Germans assert they sank q
British war vessel off Newport. The
following dispatch was received from
Berlin last night:
"Near Nieuport an enemy ship, prob
ably mine searching vessel, touched a
mine and sank. Destroyers' of the enemy
disappeared when shelled. J"
The American Line steamship Phila-
delphia, from New York, passed safey
through the war zone yesterday and ar
rived at Liverpool. To avoid any mis-
takes as to her nationality on the part
of German submarines the Philadelphia
carried the American flag at every
available spot. She virtually "dressed
ship" from taffrail to bow with the
Stars and Stripes. She carried 100
passengers.
The Philadelphia ON the last. leg of
her trip passed over virtually the same
course as did the British steamer Cam
bank, which was sunk by submarine
on Saturday at the mouth of Holyhead
Bay, ffty-6ve miles west of Liverpool.
OduBeTS 10 AIueI1Cdu vcSSclS
Washington, Feb. 22.-Sinking of
the American steamer Evelyn off the
German coast presumably by a mine,
although the crew was saved, brought
vividly before official Washington to-
day the dangers to which American ves-
sells are exposed in the waters adjacent
to the belligerent coasts of Europe.
The American note to Germany warn
ing that country against attacks on
American vessels in the sea zones of
war applied only to submarines. Since
the outbreak of the war, the North sea
has been mined by both Germany and
Great Britain and an added warning
was given to neutral commerce by the
German reply to the American note
last week in announcing that mines
would be strewn in the waters surround
ing Great Britain and Ireland and in
the English channel.
Pilots offered for Neutral Vessels
Hitherto, in the notification of areas
mined, pilots have been offered for neu-
tral vessels.s Whether or not the Evelyn
had an opportunity to obtain pilot or
whether she struck a mine with a pilot
aboard were questions on which Off
nation to-day or tomorrow from Am
bassadors Page at London and Gerard
at Berlin, to both of whom the State
Department had directed inquiries.
The only message before the depart
ment early to-day was from American
Consul Fee, at Bremen, who reported
that the Evelyn had been "blown up"
but did not give the cause. His cable
gram stated that the ship and cargo had
been lost but that the crew was safe.
Officials believed the crew had been
landed in Germany as Borkum is near
the German coast.
Claims for Damages to Evelyn
1t was considered unlikely that there
would be any diplomatic action result
ing from the loss of the Evelyn beyond
claims for damages inasmuch as there
is now no international convention in
force prohibiting the laying of mines
either for offensive or defensive pur-
poses
The Evelyn is the first ship insured
with the United States Bureau of War
Riswk Insurance to be lost since it be-
gan operations several months ago. In
surance on ships and cargoes amounting
to more than S55,000,000 has been
written.
The bureau was closed to-day and
no word had been received as to when
claim from the owners may be ex-
pected. There is little doubt that legal
proof of the destruction of the ship and
cargo will result IN prompt payment of
the insurance. OF the total amount of
insurance written, by the bureau more
than half has expired with the arrival
of ships and cargoes at destinations.
The bureau has earned in premiums
more than 100000, so that it is able
to stand its first loss without resort to
the appropriation made by Congress.
To Establish Responsibility
Senator Simmons, one of the trainers
of the bill which created the war risk
bureau, White House caller to-day,
said he assumed an effort would be
made first to establish the responsible
ity for the sinking of the Evelyn and
that if the nationality of the mine
could be discovered the government war
risk bureau would make efforts to col
lect damages.
"The war risk bureau has all the
powers of private insurance com
pany,' said Senator Simmons. "When
the government goes into business of
this kind it loses its official status, but
simply because this is government
agency it does not have less right than
a private agency of the same kind
would.'
Owners Will Make No Protest
New York, Feb. 22.-William L.
Harriss, of the firm which owned the
steamship Evelyn, sunk in the North
Sea yesterday, said to-day, that his firm
oI- ,,A -.