Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-19
STEAMER LOST AFTER
ADVENTUROUS CAREER

New York, March 1S.-Forty- eight
men who were Americans by birth OF
by naturalization, and nine others
several of whom are believed to be
naturalized Americans, comprised the
crew of the American freight steam
ship City of Memphis. reported from
London today as having been sunk by
shell fire. The vessel itself valued al
100000, had weathered safely many
adventures in European waters on pre-
vious voyages since the war began.
Owned by the Ocean Steamship
company, commonly known as the
Savannah line, the City of Memphis
of 5,252 tons gross, sailed from New
York January 23, carrying 1858 bales
of cotton valued at 100000. This
she delivered at Havre, France. and
was on her way home in ballast when
sunk.
Her captain was l.. p. Borum of
Norfolk, Va. Every officer aboard
had his American license and every
naturalized American his naturaliZa =
tion papers in compliance with rule
laid down by the ships owners.
While on her last voyage from New
York the City of Memphis was halted
off the Scilly Islands January % by "A
German submarine, whose captain de-
manded to see the papers she carried.
A mate went aboard the C-boat and
was informed that inasmuCh as the
American carried a Contraband cargo
she ought to be sunk, but that be-
cause America and Germany were on
friendly relations she might proceed
A message received here Yesterday
by w. II. Peasants, president of the
ocean Steamship company, from
Captain Bofum, announced the ships
departure from Cardiff on Friday, so
that she was less than forty eight
hours out when sunk.
The City of Memphis last voyage to
Europe was her tenth into the war
zone.
Built in Chester Pa, in 1902, the
City of Memphis, while in the coast
wise trade in May, 1914, was chartered
by the government during crisis in
the relations between the United
States and Mexico to transport sup
plies by way of Galveston to American
troops occupying Vera Cruz AS she
left Boston a German freighter fired
salute from brass gun mounted
or deck.
on her voyages into the war zone
the City of Memphis each night car
ried reflector above an American
flag painted on either side and the
ships name appeared in siX-foot let
ters in several places.
The crew of the Vigilancia com
prsed forty-five men of whom twen-
ty-one were Americans, including
Capt. F. A. Middleton of New York,
Two of the twenty-one were natural
lied and one had first papers. There
We're also five Porto Ricans and one
Filipino in the fire room force.
The Vigilancia was built in 1890 for
the New York and Cuba Mail Steam
ship company, better known as the
Ward line. Since the outbreak of the
war, the Vigiancia is said to have
changed owners seevral times, her
last owner being the Barber line. but
when she was sunk she was under
charter to the Globe line.
She sailed from New York. Febru
ary %, after being detained by a
strike for three days after clearing
and leaving her dock. The crew de-
manded rs per cent bonus on their
regular wages as war risk. The de-
mand was compromised. The ship
was plainly marked as an American
vessel with flags painted on port and
starboard bows and with her name
and hailing port of Now York on both
sides in letters five feet high
1t is understood that the cargo was