Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-19
RUMOR RAIDER
IS HEADED NORTH
CAUSES tension
One Report Has It that Com
merce Destroyer May
Have Armed One of
Its Prizes.
BRITISH NAVY GETS BUSY
Gordon of Fifteen Cruisers is
Sweeping South and Mid
die Atlantic.
AMERICANS ON THE SHIPS

New York, Jan. 1S.-With the pos
sibility that the German sea raider
which sank or captured from fifteen
to a score of allied ships is still con-
tinuing its depredations, steamship
owners and marine underwriters were
in a state of nervous tension today
The losses in ships and cargoes thus
far represent from $l5,OO00OO to $2O,-
100000.
A Gordon OF British cruisers, re-
ported to number fifteen, is believed
to be sweeping the southern seas i'll
search of the raider. which, according
to one report, may be the auxiliary
cruiser Vineta, or, according to
another, the cruiser Moewe, the same
sea rover which played havoc with
allied shipping about a year ago.
Steamship circles were especially
concerned today over wireless warn
ing that the German raider was work
ing northward to more frequented
lanes of steamship travel. The pos
sibility that the raider may have
armed and manned one or more OF
its prizes and dispatched them also
on commerce preying missions was
another source of anxiety. One re-
port was that the British steamer St.
Theodore was thus transformed.
News of the fate of this vessel and
of the Yarrowdale, reported to have
on board some of the crews OF other
captured vessels, was still lacking to-
day.
Raider Working Way North.
Norfolk, Va, Jan. lS.-.Raider wire
less warnings picked upNhere said the
German sea raider, which has played
havoc with allied shipping, was re-
ported l,500 miles south of Cape
Henry, apparently working northward
20 more frequented lanes of travel.
Warnings sent out Tuesday night said
the German craft was off Pernam-
buco, Brazil, last Friday. .. .
The warning, believed to have come
from a British cruiser, also said re-
ports had been received that a sub
marine OF undetermined nationality
had been sighted 700 miles east OF
Virginia Capes.
The reporting warship gave its po-
stion as about 800 miles south OF
Cape Henry and proceeding south in
the hope of intercepting the raider.
Thirteen Americans Landed.
Rio Janeiro, Jan. 17.-Thirteen
Americans are among the victims OF
the German raiders who have been
landed at Pcrnambuco. The re-
naming number is made up of l70
Englishmen and flfty-four French
men.
A German raider for the last month
has been sinking vessels Of entente
powers in the south Atlantic. Latest
reports fix the number at fifteen. Sur
vivors of the destroyed vessels to the
number of 257 have been landed at
Pernambuco, and til fate of nearly
400 men is Still unknown.
Tie first official statements given
out here regarding the raider were to
the effect that seven vessels had been
sunk and nine captured. In a COM
munication to the minister of marine,
the captain of the port of Pernam-
buco declared that he had learned the
raider had also sunk eight Of the YES
sells which were at first reported
merely captured. The crews, the fate
of which is not known, numbered AL
men.
Proceed to Port.
1t is reported that the raider placed
these crews on board the British
steamer Yarrowdale, which then pro-
ceeded for port. 1t is therefore be-
lieved that they will be safely landed
within day or two.
Another -eport has been received to