Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-01
ST. LOUIS IS
OFF PORT;MAY
Be WATCHING
(Continued from page one)

merchantmen have had steam up 70
tile last "a hours.
Two Surely Detained
There is nothing at this time Il
stop the eight merchantmen iron
leaving port and risking capture b!
going 10 sea, as they are only mer
chant steamers and would not be VIC
& hating any neutrality regulations Dl
leaving. The interned German naVa
eunboat Geier and her collier, thu
Locksuu. will not be allowed by the
V L. S. naval authorities of the rear
q Harbor naval station 10 leave po['
until the war is ended.
st. Louis Is OFF Port
What is called by waterfront men
= another significant Development IN
a the how threatening state of affalrs
is that the T. S. S. ST. Louis, the
, only American cruiser stationed
here, is today steaming slowly BACK
and forth off port almost directly
across the harbor channel so that II
would be impossible for any boat to
leave without being observed Dy the
cruiser -...:
When this fact was called today
/ to the attention Of naval officers IN
charge of the old naval station on
Allen street, under the jurisdiction OF
Il Pearl Harbor, they said the st. LOUIS
t is on target practise and that they
l. had not received any instructions from
Pearl Harbor to keep a closer watch
on the movements of the German
e naval or merchant vessels in port.
They would not say whether they be-
q heved the position Of the st. Louis
practically across the harbor en-
trance was the result of possible or
e ders from Washington last night to
e prevent any German vessels iron
!. going out. -.
:, Only Connecting Rods Takep
Il The twin screw 49,
interned GerRsoVpellers of the
still in plan gunboat Geier are
bv the e. They were not removed
40. S. naval authorities at this
SUrt when she was informed in 1911.
When the Geier was in drydock last T,
summer both screws could be and
we're plainly seen by harbor officials
Ind customs inspectors, who told the
so this morning.
When the Geier was interned the
connecting rods of her engines were
aiken off. Whether they were taknl
o the naval station and placed there l
or safe keeping. or sealed and left
aboard the gunboat, could not be
this morning. The Allen
street naval station officers said they
lid not know and that Pearl Harbor &
1t was also said today {
he Geier's main steam pipe had been &
disconnected by the naval authorities, !
which would render her helpless to
move. l.
Armed sentries keep watch at the
navy pier day and night so that any q
attempt of the Geier to break intern I
nent and make dash to sea would S
'esult in immediate notification of e
United States naval authorities by the
'entries. 4
seier Crew Holds Drill ... ->
1t is known that Wednesday morn
ng about Z o'clock the Geier's crew
leld the naval drill known. by navy
men as ''out and away" the drill pre-
icribed by naval regulations for use
~ landing parties going ashore on a
leach from naval vessels anchored out
It sea. This is a drill not frequently
lone, according to waterfront men f.
Who have seen the Geief's men drill
ng every day for two years.
iackfeld's Has Coal ~
There are said to be 1000 tons of
'oal at the Hackfeld wharf to supply
he refugee MERCHANTMEN with fuel
n case they were ordered at any time
,y the harbor board to leave theiJ
,erths and anchor outside Whether
my of. the refugee freighters in the
eva basin have been taking coal
Iboard ION the quiet" in preparation
or departure is a mooted question
ImQng waterfront men today. They
we're of the opinion that such bunker
ng could have been done easily with
tut attracting any attention
This morning there was no unusual
ign of activity aboard the German
'essels. The Geier's crew was busy
washing uniforms and the big hull of
he Pommern was being given a new
,oat of black paint above the water
inc and the usual red lead below.
Painting of the big freighter has been
n progress since the first of the week.
Officers of the German merchant
teamer Pommern said at 2 o'clock
his afternoon the only reason they
lad gotten up steam yesterday and
his morning was to work the pumps
nd pump out accumulated bilge wa
er from the holds They said the
Tres had been drawn from the boilers
" | o'clock this afternoon,
sreechblocks Were Taken 4
Breechblocks were taken from the
Ieier's guns and a section from her
team line, the pipe which leads from
loilers to engines, when she was put
'ut of commission by the navy depart
nent two years ago. This was stated
~ officers at the naval station this
fternoon. who say that the stripped
,ortions are still there
No word whatever has been re-
.eived at the naval station from
Washington regarding the Ominous
urn events nave taken. Likewise
nothing has been received at army