The New York herald., 1921-03-06
US. SUBCHASER'S
SHOT HALTSCABLE
|. VESSEL OFF MIAMI
Western Union Ships Crew
Is Arrested by Navy
Forces.
FOUR MILES OFF COAST
Boat Was at Buoy at End Of
Protested FlOrida-Bar-
bad0s Line.
CARLTON MAKES DENIAL
Says the Clowery Was Only
Making a Test and Did Not
Intend to Connect Cables.

MIAMI, Fla, March 5.-Work OF con-
Meeting the Western Union Miami
Barbados cable, which was begun
again to-day. was abruptly halted late
this afternoon, when the United States
subchaser 154 appeared and opened
fire on the cable ship Robert G. Glow
cry and placed the entire crew under
arrest.
The entire action took place on the
high seas about four miles off the
coast of Miami Beach, near the buoy
that had been attacned to the end of
the cable when 1t was laid from the
three mile limit Of the United States to
Barbados by the British cable ship
Coionia last summer.
The Robert C. Ciowery arrived of
Miami yesterday from Jacksonville to
start work on connecting the cable and
| had picked up the loose end when the
subchaser arrived on the scene. Signals
hoisted by the naval vessel, 1t is said.
were disregarded by the cable ship.
after which shot was fired by the SUBJ
chaser across the bow of the Clowery,
which promptly hove to.
| Capt. Smith OF the Clowery was or
dered to desist from the cable work,
and both vessels entered the port OF
Miami this afternoon. When the Glow
cry tied up at the municipal dock the
entire crew was placed under arrest by
local naval authorities. 1t Is snid that
late tonight the crew was release!
| n h4.T
Second Clash over Cable.
To-day's clasn was the second that
has occurred in the efforts OF the Gov
ernment to prevent the landing of the
Barbados cable in Miami. An attempt
| to run the cable across the channel on
| the western side OF the causeway last
summer was prevented by armed forces
of the navy. and a subchaser has been
stationed here ever since.
President Wilson instructed the Navy
Department TO prevent the landing of the
Miami-Barbados cable here, and at the
time tile British cable ship Colonia was
sent here 10 star. work OF laying the
cable four destroyers we're sent To Miami
to prevent the wire from being brought
| ashore.
The Colonia tied an end Of the cable
TO a buoy on Miami Beach. outside the
three mile limit, and proceeded with
the cable laying operations on the high
seas between that point and Barbados.
Two destroyers accompanied the Col
onia on this trip. but did not prevent
the laying of the cable on the high
seas
Last week IN the New York Federal
Court the injunction against tho Western
Union Telegraph Company preventing
~ fha II. ct ald
and the telegraph company was success
full in securing court order restraining
the Government from interfering with
the work.
Local naval authorities have never had
a revocation Of their previous orders 70
prevent the landing of the cable. IL is
| understood and II is said that to-day s
action by the suhchaser 15f In prevent
ing the landing of the cable was In ac-
cordance with orders issued by Secre-
! tary Of the Navy Daniels last summer.
Foreshadowcd by Carlton.
Newcornb Carlton. president OF the
| Western Union Telegraph Company, In
n visit to Miami several days ago inti-
mated that new effort would be made
by the Western Union 10 land tho cable
here as soon as the Wilson Adninistra-
tion was replaced by the Harding regime
and expressed his belief that the Har-
ding Government would take a more lib
4 eral attitude than did the former one
and not prevent an American company
from doing what its charter permitted
II to do"
Over a year ago the Western Union
made application to President Wilson
for a permit 10 land the cable at MI
ami, under the Federal law requiring
Presidential permit for the landing OF
foreign cables In the United States. and
this was never issued. although no
reason for the holding UP OF the per-
NIT was ever given by the Government.
| Tho telegraph company prepared to
bring the cable TO Miami without the
Presidential permission and the effort
was stopped by the Government.
IL IS said the Government is opposed
| 10 the Miami Barbados cable on the
ground that the cable would be British
owned and that the company has a
monopoly in cable communications TO
! Brazil.
This contention or the Government has
been denied by the Western Union. which
has given assurances that the cable is
American owned. and has submitted
copies OF its contract to show that u
was not monopolistc
Newcomb Carlton, president Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company.
when informed last night that United
States subchaser had opened fire on the
Robert c. Chowery. the Western Union
cable ship, authorized the following
statement:
NO effort whatever has been made
to lay the cable 20 Miami Beach. The
Clowcry has been ordered to make a
test on the cable thus far laid. to SEQ
II II Is In good condition and to make
report on It's condition 10 the com
pany."