Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-03-19
SUBMARINES SINK.
AMERICAN SHIPS BY.
SHOT And TORPEDO.
Fourteen Men Missing From
Vigilancia and Several From
City of Memphis, Sent
Down in War Zone.
SHELLS SINK ONE BOAT
German Submarine Sinks An
other Without Showing
at Surface.
HISTORY OF THE BOATS

London, March 18.-The sinking OF
the American steamers City Of Men,
phs, Illinois and Vigilancia was an
nounced today. Fourteen men from
the Vigilancia are missing, as are
some of the men from the City of
Memphis. The crew of the Illinois
was landed safely.
The City OF Memphis, in ballast,
from Cardig to New York, was sunk
by gunfre. A patrol boat has gone
in search of the other members of
the crew. The Illinois, from London
for Port Arthur. Tex, in ballast, was
sunk at 8 O'Clock this morning.
Sunk Without Warning.
The Vigilancia was torpedoed with
out warning. The submarine did not
appear. The captain, first and second
mates, first, second and third en-
gineers and twenty-three of the crew
have been landed at the Scilly Islands.
The fourth engineer and thirteen men
are missing.
Many Americans Aboard.
New York, March 16.-Forty-eight
men who were Americans by birth or
by naturalization and nine, others,
several of whom are believed to be
naturalized Americans, comprised the
crew of the American freight steamer
City of Memphis, reported from Lon
don today as having been sunk by
shellhre. The vessel, itself valued a.
100000, had weathered safely many
adventures in European waters on
previous voyages since the war be-
gan.
Owned by the Ocean Steamship
company, commonly known as the
Savannah line, the City of Memphis,
of 5,523 tons gross, sailed from New
York January 23, carrying 1858 bales
of cotton valued at 100000. This it
delivered at Havre, France. and was
on the way home in ballast when
sunk.
Had American Papers.
Its captain was L. P. Borum OF
Norfolk, Va, where he was born of
American parents. Every officer
aboard had his American license and
every naturalized American had his
naturalization papers in compliance
with a rule laid down by the ships
owners.
While on its last voyage from New
York, the City of Memphis was
halted off the Scilly Islands, jan
uary 29, by a German submarine,
whose captain demanded to see the
papers It carried. A mate>went aboard
the U-boat and was informed that
inasmuch as the American carried a
contraband cargo it ought to be sunk,
but that because America and Ger
many were on friendly relations, it
might proceed.
A message received here yesterday
by w. H. Peasants, president of the
Ocean Steamship company, from
Captain Borum, announced the ships
departure from Cardiff on Friday, so
that it was less than forty-eight hours
out. when sunk.
The City of Memphis last voyage
to Europe was its tenth into the war
zone.
German Fired Salute.
Built in Chester, Pa, in 1902, the
City OF Memphis. while in the coast
wise trade in May, 1914, was char
tered by the government during a
crisis i'll the relations between the
United States and Mexico to trans
port supplies by way OF Galveston
TO American troops occupying Vera
Cruz. As it left Boston harbor a
German freighter fired salute from
a brass gun mounted on deck.
On its voyage into the war zone
the City of Memphis each night car
ried a reflector above all American
flag painted on either side and the
ships name appeared in six-foot let
ters i'll several places.
Consul Makes Report.
Washington. March lS.-Consul
Frost at Queenstown reported to the
State department tonight the sinking
by German submarine OF the Amer
jcau steamer City of Memphis, saying
forty-nine survivors had been picked
Wcrtinued on Page Two. Column Twol
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