Evening star., 1918-10-15
TRANSPORT SINKS
0NEVE0F SAILING
America Goes Down at Hobo
ken, Sleeping Troops Max
ing Escape.
CAUSE IS NOT KNOWN
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
HOBOKEN. N. J., October 15.-
Shortly before the American troop
transport America, formerly the Ger
man Transatlantic passenger steam
ship Amerika, was about to sail today
for Europe with soldiers and supplies
the vessel foundered at her pier here.
In the early morning darkness. while
the troops aboard were sleeping, the
America settled with her keel in the
mud, leaving only three Of her eight
decks. together with parts of her fun
nels, above water.
So far as was known up to noon
there was no loss of life. Earlier re-
ports were that between thirty and
forty of the crew had perished after
benig trapped in the boiler room.
Mystery as to Cause.
Troops were placed on guard outside
the pier and details regarding the sink
Ing were denied to inquirers. . The
cause of the accident remained a mys-
terry even to Navy Department officials
A theory is expressed in some quarters
that water poured into the holds as a
result of uncompleted repairs appar-
emily did not conform with the fact
that the ship was ready to weigh an
chor today for foreign port.
1t was learned that gang Of me
chanics was at work at the time the
vessel settled and it was suggested
that one of these men being civilian
not familiar with marine mechanisms,
inadvertently opened sea cock under
the impression that he was closing it.
The submerged America, next to
the largest of the governments trans
ports. was within sight Of persons
crossing the lower Hudson river on
ferryboats.
Decks AA and A and B were wholly
above water. which was within three
feet of deck B. The vessel appeared
to be resting on even keel Tugboats
and government vessels with cranes
were at work and it was evident that
Troop Capacity, 5000.
The America, Of 22.622 tons gross,
has a capacity for carrying 5000
troops and a crew Of 1900 men. OF
the troops it was said that only, zoe
or 300 were on board at the time. All
the coal had been placed IN the bunk
ers. except a small portion to have
been loaded today. " t.
1nasmuch as all the troops and the
crew are reported to have escaped,
1T was believed the vessel sank slow
ly. although not so leisurely as to
give the men time to take their be-
longingS with them. One estimate
was that the ship went down in
twenty-five minutes.
Red Cross workers were summoned
to administer to the shivering. SOL
diers, and relief supplies arrived in
Army trucks throughout the fore
noon. 5
Referred to Navy Officials.
Maj. H. B. Craig, chief OF the MILL
tary police at the port of embarka-
tion, referred inquirers to the office of
Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves. First
Lieut.. H, b Lawson, personal repre-
sentative of Admiral Gleaves, said all
questions would have to be answered
by the Navy Department officials. Re
garding possible loss of life, a naval
official here in authority said:
only incomplete information is in
the hands of the authorities of the
port. Any loss of life must be de-
termined by a checking up Of the
muster roll"
The officer and other investigators
stated that no circumstances of eus-
picious character had been learned
of, but that the inquiry was continu-
ing.
May Be Raised Easily.
The America sank in about thirty
five feet of water, and the raising of
the ship is not regarded as a difficult
feat 1t was stated that court Of
inquiry would be appointed, probably
A man Of German ancestry was ex-
amined at length at the offices of the
military police this afternoon, and it
was reported he was under custody.
Six weeks ago, it was learned to-
day, an explosion of a steampipe on
the America cost the lives Of two men,
several others being injured No f1re
or explosion accompanied today's mis-
hap.