Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-09
along the coast.
Panic in Shipping Circles

| In nash after the nrst distress Sig
nels of the West Point Sere sent broad
cast, wireless messages were racing up
land down the coast and far out to sea
warning everything, atoat that German
| warship was operating in the steamer
lines. Every vessel equipped with. wire
less, was warned tor make for the three
| mile zone and the commanders Of mer-
cnant vessels of thes Allies lost no time
| in shifting their courses. Those that were
| following what is known as the outside
| course turned to the inside course that
twould bring them closer to American soil.
Wireless Warnings
\ British consular officers along the New
Angland coast, who had BEEN advised by
the British embassy to warn. British ship
pima against the U-53 upon her appear
Eancevat Newport yesterday. renewed their
caution on learning that the submarine
haG gotten into action.
Something like panic seized the minds
of shippers in their city and other points
along thea coast. The stories regarding
the U-53 which appeared in the Sunday
newspapers had aroused much specula-
ton as to her mission and the news that
she had attacked British vessels trav-
| eled fast Anxious inquiries. were made
! of the newspapers from seemingly almost
| everyone who had a friend on the water
or owned a share of stock in a merchant
| bottom.
The FrederckAvIII of the Scandinavian
American Line. (which is bringing home
| the American ambassador from Germany.
James W. Gerards and Mrs. Gerard. was
eco miles east of New York at noon today.
he haS 4.
wife were no a neutral vessel was given
to inquirng friends |by the press.
The radio statonss which at first had
given TO the newspapers the news OF the
! torpedoing and were slowly gathering al
ditional facts, were suddenly closed TO the
press by an order from the navy Depart
ment at Washir. gton. II was explained
that ANYTHING learned by government
stations must fSst be transmitted to the
iuavv department before being made pub
lie.
Particulars of the attack. however, con-
,inued to come in from merchant vessels
~ commercial wireless plans not con-
+rolled by the government and through
marine observers on shore.
U-53 Left Last Night
Tho I-53. which anchored for three
hours ir Newport harbor while Com
mander Hans Rose sent ashore cor
respondence from Germany for the
German ambassador at washington
and exchange official calls with Rear
Admiral Gleaves and Rear Admiral
| Austin NJ knight, comntandant or the
Narragansett Bay naval station. slip
ned out of the harbor and submerged
inst inside the three-mi]e limit at 7.05
O'Clock last night.
At daylight she turned up southeast
of Nantucket and got in the way of
the American steamer kansan OF the
American Hawiian Line bound from
| New York for Boston and Genoa. The
Kansan was flying thes American flag.
She was stopped by the submarine at
$50 O'Clock. Assured that the Kansan
was American-owned. the submarine
later allowed her to proceed.
Capt Smith reported that he had
been stopped in wireless message to
the captain of the Nantucket Shoals
lightship. He said the submarine show
ed no colors, but from his meagre de-
Inscription of the warship naval men
Mere satisfied that 1t was the U-53.
Meets Strathdene
A half hour later the submarine en-
countered the Strathdene. commanded
| by Capt. Wilson and under charter to
the French Line. A subsequent mes
sage from the Nantucket lightship
stated that the Strathdene had been
torpedoed this morning and the crew
Of Twenty men" were on the light
ship. The steamer carried crew of
"a. so there was some doubt as to
whether the lightship had picked them
all up or had correctly reported. The
Strathdene sailed from New York for
Bordeau yesterday afternoon. She was
Of 1921 tons and 375 feet in length She
was built in Greenwich In 1904 and was
owned in Glasgow.
Pursuing her hostile course, the sub
marine next came upon the West
Point, bound from London for New
port News. The fate of the British
freighter was told in the following
wireless dispatch from her command
er, Capt Harden. to the naval radio
station
british steamer West Point stop
ped by submarine and fired upon; get
ting boat ready. Position 40:25 north,
50 west. Get cutter.
Later messages gave further details.
One, at 11:15 stated that the steamer
was being shelled by the submarine
when the message was sent. A third
message said that the vessel was at
tackled at 1915, 10 miles south of Nam
tucket. This message caused confu
sion regarding the exact position of the
West Point. The kansan picked up
the distress signals of the West Point
and proceeded to her assistance The
| Boston navy yard at 100 o'clock re-
ceived a message from the Kansan
stating that the West Point was sink
! ing and that the kansan was going to
her aid. The disabled vessel was SO
miles distant and the Kansan was
making II knots.
Later private dispatch added the
information that the submarine after
stopping the West Point, ordered the
crew into their small boats. The crew
abandoned the ship, which was then
.orpedoed. 1t was in sinking condi-
ton when last reported
Stephano Sunk
] The greatest shock to the shipping
interests came tonight with word that
the Red Cross liner Stephano had been
sunk off Nantucket The message was