Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-01
STOP ALL SHIPPING AS
SPECULAT0RS GUESS
AT PURPOSE
RUMOR SHIP SUNK
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS RE-
FUSE TO GIVE OUT STATEMENT
CONCERNING ACTS - NAVAL
MONITOR GUARDS MOUTH OF
HARBOR.

New York, June 1.-The United
States naval monitor Amphritite
guarded the Narrows, the mouth of
the harbor of New York, today and
turned back all ships seeking to leave
the port.
Even Coney Island and Atlantic
highlands boats bound for points bor-
dering the lower bay were stopped
and turned back without explanation.
Shortly before noon at the collector
of the ports office, it was said they
had been notified by the Navy Yard
that the port had been closed, but a
second order had lifted the ban on
sailings.
Alarming rumors which Immediate
ly were passed about were not cleared
by the collector Of the port. AT his
| office 1t was said there was no an
nouncement to be made here that any
statement about the matter would
have to come from Navy Yard officials.
The Navy Yard officials also refused
| to make any statement At Washing
ton, Secretary Daniels declared there
had been no formal order closing the
port, but refused to make any further
explanation.
Heretofore on the occasions when
the port has been sealed, the order
has been issued by Collector Malone,
presumably an order from Washing
, ton, altho he can act on his own initia-
! tive in taking sueh action
, One of the rumors in shipping Cir
ces was that an American schooner
clearing an American port yesterday
! had been sunk.
The reported sinking of three Amer.
; ican ships and the turning back Of
shipping threw scare into the stock
market, where losses Of to points
were marked up. United States steel
broke 27s to 127ss before 80.
Shows Effect On Stocks.
New York, June shipping cir
cles were given a scare today to that
which accompanied the announcement
of the submarine campaign when al
ter the sinking OF three American
ships abroad had been reported the
port of New York was closed for a
few hours.
The monitor Amphllrite on patrol
= in the Narrows, turn i back all yes
p sells seeking to leave the harbor.
At the office of the collector of the
port and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
the mystery of the little warships ac-
q tions were increased by fiat refusa,s
to explain the meaning of the move.
+ After many wild rumors had circ'l-
" lated. some of them being the basis
= for a bear raid on the stock exchange
u which sent prices down, it was an
= nounced again without explanation
. that the port had been opened
Three u. s. Ships sunk.
London, June Three American
sailing ships have been sunk by Ger
man submarines with the loss OF one
life the British admiralty announced
today. The destroyed ships were the
Dirigo. Frances M and Barbara.
John Ray. first mate oil the Dirigo
\ was drowned while trying to get into
life boat
l. The Frances NJ was sunk on Ma,
a. is. the Barbara on May "A and the
l. Dirigo yesterday
is All the members Of the crew of the
g Barbara and Frances NJ, were picked
up The crew of the former was land
in ed at Gibralter and the latter at Ca
le diz, Spain,
le The Dirigo was attacked yesterda,
20 morning without warning Survivors
Ii of the crew Of the Dirigo told judge
ct Joseph G Stephens. the United States
consul at Plymouth.
e Description Of Ships.
IN New York June The Dlrigo wa
's a sailing ship of S005 tons, owned ant
'r, built bv 4 Sewell and Co Of Bath
W Maine She called from New YORK
W Nav 3. commanded by Captain j a
rn rrquhart, bound for Hayre, Nins o
her crew OF 81 were Americans. tn
Frances Nj also was registered a
Bath and sailed from New York oI
April Z with crew of nine mer
|, Americans IN her crew were captain
Charles Penniwill Bath, Maine. AT
,ld gust f. Lang engineer and John I
81 Rogers mate of Philadelphia and d
tpl car Tate lvandae, w
ith The Frances NJ registered 1,5s
a tons