The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-08-25

lIoyd's Receives News OF De.
struction of Ship, Presum-
ably in Mediterranean.
TAKEN OVER BY GOVERNMENT
Got Clearance Papers From America
Port After Officers Showed Mount
ed Guns Were for Defensive
Purposes-Warned.


London, Aug. 21.-The Italian
steamship Stampalia, which plies be-
tween New York and Italian ports, has
been sunk, says a dispatch to
LlOyd's.
The Stampalia was q passenger
liner of 1900 tons gross. In common
with other Italian liners, 1t mounted
guns for protection from submarines.
The last report of it's movements was
It's arrival on July 30 at Genoa from
New York, SO that 1t apparently was
sunk on the return voyage to the
United States. 1t was commanded by
Captain Lavarello.
May Have Been Requisitioned.
New York, Aug. 21.-The New
York agents for the Stampalia said
today that two weeks ago they re-
ceived cable message informing
them that all sailings of the steam
ship had been cancelled. They express
the opinion, on this account, that the
Stampalia had been requisitioned and
was In the service of the Italian gov
eminent. In this case it would have
no passengers on board.
Could Hold 100 Passengers.
The Stampalia had accommodations
for about LOO passengers. On its re-
cent voyages from Italy to New York
passenger traffic was light and the
agents In New York of the line said
that 1t probably carried a comparative
ly small number of passengers. Its
crew numbered about 10.
No word had been received In New
York by the agents of the line of the
reported sinking OF the Stampalia at
the time of the arrival of the Lon
don dispatch.
The Stampalia first appeared in New
York as an armed steamer in Febru-
airy last, arriving from Genoa with
two three-inch rapid-fre guns mounted
on its after deckhouse. Washington
was notified and on being Informed
that the guns were to be used for de-
fensive purposes only, instructed the
collector of the port of New York to
grant clearance papers.
Received Wireless Warning.
On arriving at New York on March
"a the Stampalia reported a wireless
warning had been received soon after
lying In wait for 1t or Sardinia. In
stead of going north of Sardinia and
along the north shore Of the Mediter-
ranean, which before that time had
proved the safest route, 1t went south
of Sardinia and through the straits
of Bonifacio, between Sardinia and
Corsica.
Several armed Italian steamships
have reported sighting submarines in
the Mediterranean, and in some In
stances being pursued by them and
firing on them. italian naval gunners
were detailed to service on armed
passenger vessels to operate the guns.
When the Italian steamship Re
d'Italia arrived In New York August
from Genoa it's captain reported 1t
had fired on three submarines In the
Mediterranean. The steamship was
pursued for seven hours and passen-
gers said they believed one of the SUBJ
marines had been sunk.
Submarine Activity Increases.
There has been some increase re
Gently In submarine activity. The
naval expert of the Paris Temps wrote
on Thursday that the German sub
marine campaign against merchant
ships was again In full swing, In ac-
cordance with the German note to the
United States In February In which
1t was said merchant ships carrying
guns could not be considered as peace
full vessels.
The Stampalia was 476 feet long and
55 feet of beam. II was built at Spe-
zia i'm 1909 and was owned at Genoa.