The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-06-07

settled. The heavy cargo of mangan-
ese might have shifted and hindered
the vessel from righting after a se-
we're list.
Moreover. vessels which returned
to Atlantic ports about the time the
Cyclops was due, reported that unusu-
ally stormy weather had been encoun-
tered hi southern waters. Caught In
the trough of a heavy sea, the Cyclops
might have capsized and gone down in
quickly. dragging down beneath her
hull all deck equipment which other
wise might have floated on the sur
face as an indication of her fate.
The theory that the Cyclops sud
denly went down in storm is about
the only theory that adequately would
explain her failure to wireless In case
of danger. The fact that no radio
calls ever came from the vessels is
one phase that characterizes the dis
appearance of the ship as one of the
most mysterious in modren sea an
nails.
Leaving the West Indian harbor on
March the Cyclops was expected to
touch at an Atlantic port on March
13. When attention was called to the
fact that she was few days overdue,
no anxiety was felt because II was
knnWn chn hoI uivo -
mission. However when week passed
and there was even no news that she
had been sighted. feeling of great
apprehension swept over the Navy
Department. Every effort was made
to find her, but on April IA the De.
partment gave permission to publish
the facts, which long had been with
held.
DANIELS HOPEFUL
Secretary Daniels still clings to the
hope that the mystery will be cleared,
but there are not many in the De.
partment who share his view
The call of blue water always has
stirred and will stir the blood of men,
But just as much as in romance, the
seven seas abound in tragedy.
The ocean has taken it's annual
heavy toll of human life from the
time Phoenecians who braved the wild
seas of the Mediterranean in their
frail craft and picked their way even
to far-off England to barter for Corn.
wall tin.
The loss of merchant shipping ever
has been particularly in these
days of the ruthless undersea rover
but fortunately the United States Ma.
Wy has carried Americas flag over
the worlds waters for nearly a cen.
tury and half without particularly
severe losses, due to the elements.
NAVAL HISTORY
From the records of the Navy De
partment there has been compiled a
brief list of naval vessels which sailed
and then went down In the oceans
NAV without leaving soul to tell
the story.
The Saratoga, a ship of 1S guns
commanded by Captain John Young
was lost at sea with all on board or
March, 1881.
FEW years later, the Genera
Gates, also ship of 1S guns built IL
l777 or IT'S, was lost without trace
The Pickering, a brig of IA guns
weighing 1877 tons and carrying crew
OF ninety men, sailed from Newcastle
Del, on August 90, 1900. in comman,
Oh Lieut.. b. liillar. Bound for tn,
Guadaloupe station, she never wa
heard from that date, It being beliey
ed that she floundered In an equinoe
tial gale In September that same yeai
The lnsurgent, which had been car
tured from the French in 1873 by tn
U. s. S. Constellation, sailed from
Hampton roads on August 8. 1900. fo
cruise In the West Indies. She al
so Is believed to have gone dow
/ | ''>' w" VI pfV Iueu one u
the equinoctial gales that caused tn
, Pickering to go under.
The Wasp, with 14O men under con
| mand of Commander Johnston Blake
/. ly. engaged and captured on Septen
3 ber l, 1914, the British brig Atlanti
3 A Swedish brig reported having spol
!. en- to her three weeks after that dat,
. but no further news ever was ha
4 about her, She Is supposed to hav
floundered in gale.
y The Hamilton. one of Commodor
+ Chauncey's squadron on Lake Ontari,
3 capsi2ed on the night of August 1
n 1913. while trying to weather the Ell
o my's squadron.
"All hands" says the official chro
icle, "are supposed to have been {
y quarters"
" The Epervier, a ship of is guns an
+. a complement Of 1913 captured from II
? British by the u. S. S. Peacock, sale
o from Gibraltar for this country q
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