Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-09


of torpedo boat was nearer to west
Point than that of Kansan. so gave up
search and am proceeding to Boston,
The Kansan left New York with
cargo of steel for Genoa and was COM
ing to Boston to take on board a big
shipment Of horses for the Entente AL
lies.
Just before O'Clock tonight a radio
message was picked up here stating tina,
the British steamer Kingston had been
sunk by a submarine This was later
confirmed by Admiral knight at Newport
| All on board the steamer were picked up
by one of the destroyers sent out from
Newport. The passengers of the Stepha-
no. another message said. had been taken
| on board the American destroyer Balch
During the day no sword came from the
British and French patrol vessels that
have been watching the Atlantic coast
from which vessels of the Allies with mu-
nitions of war have sdaily set out. This
afternoon a message twas sent to Halifax
asking for the press Information as to
what was being done to protect British
and French shipping from the submarine
The reply came that the British comman-
der-in chief of the Halifax station, which
is directing the patroling feet, was con-
sdering whether amy statement by him
was advisable.
! Rumors of Fleet
Many rumors were afioat today, includ-
| ing one that a feet of German subma
rines was off thel coast. Another had 1t
that the Germansi had established a sub
marine base on the Canadian coast. An
other speculation was supply ships were
cooperating with uhe U-53. Those who
held to the latter openion pointed out
that the submarine after ostensibly
crossing the Atlantic unassisted arrived
at Newport fully provisioned for three
months and not requiring fuel or SO much
as jug of water.
| At the several days removed from
| danger of contact with the. torpedo men
! ace the White Star liner CAnopic, carry
| ing 1900 passengers, and a cargo of gen.
| eral merchandise from Naples, Gibral-
| tar and the Azores for Boston was
| subject Of serious thoaght by her agents
| here. 1t was understood they were con-
| sidering the forwarding of a request
to headquarters of the line in England
for an armed convoy for the steamer
to be drafted from the British patrol
off this coast. A charge in her course
| would be ordered in any event as soon
as she could be reached by wireless it
| was said.
! British Vessels
| The British steamer Leonatus, with
! out wireless and SO cut off from pos
| sibility of warning of the submarine
| presence on this side Iof the Atlantic,
| Is almost due here with a large cargo
! Of sugar from Cuba. Her course would
| take her past Nantucket Shoals light
| ship. The British freighter Isle of
! Lewes, carrying food products and 9TH
| err supplies intended for war purposes,
! sailed this morning for Manchester
Eng, notwithstanding the knowledge of
| the U-53's visit to Newport. The Great
City another British freighter, defer
! red her sailing with a cargo of steel
and horses consigned to the French gov
eminent at San Nazarre but her agents
said it was because of slow loading
! rather than any fear of danger.
The Warren liner Bay State. on a
voyage from Liverpool, the freighter
Hesperides, with wool and hides from
Montevideo for this city and the City
of Naples, with a large and valuable
cargo from the Far East by way of
San Francisco and the Panama Canal,
were other British vessels now headed
on courses that were regarded as prob
ably crossing the path of the subma-
rine.
Large Vessels in Danger
| The Scandinavia American liner
Frederik VIII is also approaching that
part Of the coast bound for New York
from Copenhagen. On board this ship
are Ambassador Gerard and Mrs. &C.
rard.
| Better known among the vessels sub
ject, because of their registry and their
present conditions. to the submarine
men, are the French liner Espagne
from Bordeaux for New York; the An
Choir liner Cameronia. bound here from
Glasgow and Liverpool; and the Gu
harder Alaunia, only few hours out !
from New York for Falmouth and Lon !
| don. Other vessels of lesser size were |
approximately IN the same waters.
Most Of these steamships tonight |
| have received by wireless word sent |
broadcast by radio stations acting for |
the British embassy at Washington on |
the coast to all vessels of foreign flag
aff1liation off the coast Of the presence
of the German submersible off the New
England coast. This message as sent
to steamships of Great Britain's mer-
chant marine was regarded as conSti
tuting orders to change courses. The
result was indicated in messages to-
night that this vessel or that had
changed it's course and was swinging
in shore to be removed further from
possible contact with the submarine,
and to be within easy speeding dis
lance of the three-mile zone of protec-
ton.
The British consulate here was still
endeavoring to communicate with ships
OF the Entente allies along the coast
when 1t received the first report re-
garding the attack on the West Point
No details were given. and the source
of this information was not disclosed
beyond statement that 1t did not
reach the consulate through the news
papers. Later, there came a report of !
the attack on the steamer Strathdene.
Francis T. Leay. the consul, was in
constant touch with steamship officials
and on the strength Of reports that the
submarine had begun a wholesale at