Evening star., 1917-03-19

warships and the town. in the event of
another bombardment, and continued
on his way. A. second she1ling did take
entirely out Of the harbor and the
American ship. Mr.. Peasants said to-
day, was struck by entente shells and
slightly damaged.
On her voyage into the war zone the
reflector above an American flag
painted on either side and the ships
name appeared in six-foot letters in
several places.
Americans on the Vigilancia.
The crew Of the vigilancia comprised
forty-five men, Of whom twenty-one
were Americans, including Capt. F. A.
Middleton. Two Of the twenty-one were
naturalized and one had first papers.
There were also Ave Porto Ricans and
one Filipino in the freroom force. Capt.
Middleton Is New York man. grad
uate of the New York Naval School
training ship. Tha names of eighteen
americans in the crew are on file here.
B. D. OConnell, mate. New York city;
J. II. Smith. second mate. Maiden. Mass; /;
N. P. North, born in Denmark, natural
lied. third mate; F: Brown. carpenter'
Newport News; A. Gillard. quartermaster.
Brooklyn. N. Y; J. H. Loera, quarter
master, San Juan; s. Stamot. seaman.
Philippine Islands; Fred Schwia. born IN
Norway, naturalized, chief engineer: y.
A. Denton, assistant engineer. New York
city; Walter Scott, jr.. second assistant
engineer. Fftchburg, Mass; Alexander
Rodriguez. Porto Rico. oiler, no address:
NJ Ruiz, Porto Rico. fireman. Mayaguez,
Porto Rico; C. w. Dawson. steward,
(frst papers). second cook and baker,
Portland, New South Wales; Walter
Pitts, cook, Boston. Mass; j. Connors.
waiter, Seattle. Wash; E. Lopez. Porto
Rico, mess boy. no address; Paul r.
Platt, wireless operator, Winter Hill.
Mass.
The viEilancia was built in 1890 for the
New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Com.
pany. better known as the Ward line. Until
shortly after the outbreak OF the war she
was engaged in passenger and freight
trade between this port, Cuba and Mexico.
In 1914 she was sold to engage in the
cotton-carrying trade from the Uniteq
States to German ports. In March. 1915.
while on the way to Bremen, she was
seized by British cruiser and taken into
kirkwall
Under Charter to the Globe Line.
Since then the vigilancia is said to
have changed owners twice, her last own
er being the Barber line. but when sunk
She sailed from New York February 2s,
after being detained for three days after
clearing and leaving her dock by a strike
among her crew. The crew demanded a
IS per cent bonus on their regular wages
as a war risk. The demand was COM
promised and the crew consented to sail.
The ship was plainly marked as an Amer
ican vessel with flags painted on her
port and starboard bows and with her
name and hailing port of New York, on
both sides in letters five feet high.
Details as to what constituted her cargo
are withheld by customs officials. but it
Is understood that the cargo was valued
at nearly s750,000. and the ship at more
than $1.000.000. The cargo consisted in
part Of provisions. Prior to sailing, 1t
was reported by some of the men con-
nected with the crew that a large con-
signment of coff1ns was also on board.
The Vigilancia registered Ais tons
gross. She was 800 feet long, forty-five
feet of beam and was built at Chester.