Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-08
GERMAN RAIDERS
BELIEVED TO HAVE
Large STEAMER
Continued from rage ~


A navy officer is authority for the
statement that II would have been
possible for German raiders TO have
captured the Wairuna. the 4090-ton
steam freighter OF the Union line
which has been missing since the lat
ter part OF June, and for which such
a vigorous search was made by her
owners to discover trace OF wreck
age from the ship on her probable
course TO San Francisco.
The naval officer SAYS that under
a signal OF distress tie German RAID
ers could nave come alongside OF the
IL Fighter and boarded her, and with
smail arms could easily have over.
powered the crew.
Destruction and capture OF coal car
riers is also considered additional
proof that the raiders are operating
with a steamer.
Lack OF large guns is held to be the
principal reason why the raiders nave
not trequeuLed the steamer lanes be-
tween Syuncy and San Francisco, and
japan ana hOnouiu 10 san francisco.
According 10 the reports from 1utuIia
the raiders nave big supply or dyna-
mite, bombs, two machine guns and
sman lire arms, but no mention Is
made OF guns or sufficient callDer to
make the attack on big steamers
promising OF success.
Until official news of the capture
of the German raider or German raid
ers operating in the Southern Pacific
is definitely known, there will be con-
slant apprehension felt for all ship
ping. TWO small overdue schooners,
which were thought to have been des-
troyed by the raiders, are reported as
having arrived on the Pacific coast.
The two ships reported as safe are
the Helvetia from Puget Sound, May
q, for Callao, Peru, md the Oc-a nia
Vance. out from Mukilteo 1873 days for
Melbourne The Vance put into sgd
ney in a badly leaking condition.
Where the Helvetia arrived was not
reported.
While the safe arrival of these
schooners is encouro ging news to ship
owners, the two are only a small
fraction OF the sailing craft which are
in danger of destruction by the raid
ers There is estimated to be $50 to
200 sailing vessels operating between
Australia and the United States.
Three schooners are known to have
been captured by the raiders, and it
is believed five others, including one
steamer, have met like fate.
Estimate of Loss
4hn
ed are all small, the damage known to
have been caused by the raiders is
great. An example of the loss is given
by estimates regarding the value of
the Manila and her coal cargo which
was destined to Honolulu for the
Inter-Island. ..a... -.
A conservative estimate places the
value of the Manila, under present
high shipping prices, at 100000. Her
cargo of 1910 tons of Australian coal
could not be replaced here at $40 a
ton, or another loss of $20,380, 1t is
said.
The Inter-Island managed to get a
charter of the Manila from New South
Wales to Honolulu merely by chance
last March. She was chartered c: l. F.,
Honolulu, so the Inter-Island has not
experienced a monetary loss through
her destruction by the raiders. But
it would be impossible to replace her
cargo of Australian coal today, it is
said. .."
With the arrival in few days OF
an Oceanic liner at this port it is ex-
pected that details of the activities
of the German raider may be received,
as it is quite possible that Capt. Hal
dor Smith and the members of his
crew, who made their way in an open
boat to where they could send word
of their plight to authorities, are on
the vessel. ..-
Mysterious Ship Off Maui .. Il
With the authenticated report of the
operations Of the German raiders men,
DRY of a mysterious ship off Maui in
May is revived. Masters of Inter
Island vessels reported having seen a
strange ship in the Maui-Lanai chan
mel one night. The naval authorities
here investigated the report but with
out discovering anything definite.
The following morning after the
slip was first seen, DR.. William Os-
mers, government physician at Wal
luku, reported to Capt. Edw'l H. Par
ker, the port pilot at Kahului, that he
had noticed a strange vessel lying at
anchor a few miles from Waihee, dis
cernible only from high cliff.
Capt. Parker, accompanied by Capt.
Robert P HaTbold, regular army Of
ficer then stationed on Maui as the
national guard instructor, immediate
ly went out to the Waihee point to
the ship, taking powerful
glasses.
When Capt Parker reached Waihee
and located the ship off shore about
Z miles he was unable to indemnity her,
although, an old navigator and &C
quainted with every ship calling in
these waters Neither did her general
design given him any clue to identi-
fication as a foreign ship. Apparent
ly the ship was lying to, with steam
up trimming her bunkers. as there
was no evidence of activity on her
decks. Because the ship answered the
general description OF a raider which
was reported as operating in the In
dian Ocean. with the exception. of haY-
ing two tunnels, one of which could
have been easily faxed for a disguise,
the two captains hurried back to Ka-
hului and reported their observations
to Honolulu by wireless.