The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-03-22

The City of Memphis carried crew
of about fifty officers and men, vir-
tually all American-bOrn citizens or
Americans by naturalization.
The captain, three mates and chief
engineer and three assistants and the
steward were Americans by birth.
Most of the crew We're born in Nor
way and the fireman in Portugal or
Spain, but had taken out final citizen
ship papers In the United States.
The cook was an American negro.
Captain Borum of the City Of Mem
phis was a Virginian.
The vessel was owned by the ocean
Steamship company of Savannah 1t
left here on January 23 for Havre.
France, with cotton. 1t arrived there
ON February and word was received
here by owners of the departure for
Cardiff to take on bunker coal for her
voyage toward New York
The City Of Memphis was of 5,252
tons gross. 1t was 81 feet long 40
feet Of beam and was built in CheS-
ter, Pa, in 1902.
"GSAtilSNSi t'SlI VI NlAG(NSs
Washington, March I9.-The official
information of the sinking of three
American vessels by submarines in the
barred zone reached the state depart
ment from Consul Frost at Queens
town and told of tire sinking of the
City Of Memphis. 1t read:
american steamer City of Mem
phis, Cardiff to New York, sunk by
German submarine p. M, 18th inst.
81 miles S3Uth of Fastnet.
Fifteen survivors landed mt Hull.
z q. m. today.
"Thirty-four additional survivors are
on admiralty vessel, which continues
search for eight missing.
"Will land Baltimore, Ireland
Consul General Skinner mt London
cabled the department meager re-
port on the sinking of the three ships
in which he said:
american steamer City of Mem
phis, Cardiff to New York, reported
sunk. Some of crew landed. Patrol
boat gone to pick up rest. American
steamer Illinois, London to Port Ar
thur, reported sunk. American steamer
YigiIancia reported torpedoed without
warning
Consul General SINNERS report was
believed to refer to the Vigilancia.
Illinois Was Tankship.
New York, March 19.-The Illinois
was O tank steamship owned by the
Texas company Of New York. II sailed
from Port Arthur February II for Lon
don. Marine records do not chronicle
the arrival or departure from London.
The Illinois was of j.22J tons gross.
1t was 300 feet long 81 feet of BEAM
aud was built in Newport News, Va,
in 1913 Its master was Captain Iyer-
sen.
The steamship Nigilancia, owned by
Walker, Armstrong & Co. of Sayan-
nah. sailed from New York for the
Azores aud Havre on February %, ac-
cording 10 latest marine records. 1t
was ALE tons gross. freighter,. 800
feet long and 40 feet of beam. Ii was
built in Chester, Pa, in 1890.
In Transport Service.
The City Of Memphis had an inter
esting career. In May, 1914, during the
.risis in the affairs between Mexico and
the United States it was hurriedly pre-
pared for transport service while at
Boston and was chartered by the gov
eminent. ON May IA ii sailed from
New York under orders to proceed TO
Galveston TO take on stores for Aineri-
can troops occupying Vera Cruz.
After the war began the City of
Memphis was ordered fitted out for
transatlantic transport service. with
orders TO proceed to Europe to bring
home Americans stranded there.
The City Of Memphis WIS formerly
"a the service Of The Savannah line.