Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-06-22
FEAR TEN VESSELS
PIRATES VICTIMS
. WITHIN G MONTHS
Washington Sets Out to Solve
Disappearance of Graft Of
Carolina Coast,
THEORY ADVANCED SOME
ARE SMUGGLING LIQUOR
While Other Shirs May Have
Gone Down at Sea
in Storms.
DEERlNG'S LOSS PUZZLING
stat" Department Believes This
Case Shows Strong Evidence
OF Piracy.
DEERlSG'S LOSS PIZZJIN(;
Nat" Department Believes This
Case Shows Strong Evidence
of Piracy.
LEY I,nl,rd Nou,l

WASHiNGTOH. June 2I.-Bucca-
ncerirg Bolshevists. booze runners or
submarine piratcs-whoever they
were have been so successful in
"hlfhing dozen ships from the
sight of tho sea tina, three govern.
men, -par,mcnts are as blind 10 m.
mystery as when II was mrs, reported.
vessels from the coas, guard are
busy now scarchinE the region about
cape Hatteras. From the waters Off
'"c cape-known among mariners as
Ia grareyard OF the sea"--bi,s OF
l"fcckaEe may have driftcd ashore.
officials believe. which w.ll furnish a
cine TO the missing slips
The sea mystery was tho subject
OF conference Tuesday between Soc
retar.es Hughes and Hoover and Eu
gene T. Chamberlain. commissions
of navigation in the Department Of
commerce. resulting in world wide
eHorts by government agents 10 To-
cate IN" vessels or their crews
Zen ships Disappear.
The mystery has grown with in.
formation obtained by tho Bureau OF
Navigation 'nat at least ten vessels
have disappeared within the pas, six
months. These ships flew the flags
OF almost every seasoing nation
America. Britain. France. Japan
Spain and Italy
The list confirms the missing ships
mentioned in United News dispstch
from New York
In addition. tho Commerce Dcpart-
IiS,
Ottawa, Por, I.ohos. Mexico to Liver.
pool. and q brazilian boat. the cab
tci!o. These two vessels and a num-
her of others are reported to have
cleared from Norfolk, Va. within
few days Of each other and TO have
been heard from last while they
were off the Southern Atlantic sea-
board.
N"t All Victims OF Rough Sens.
While 1t is conceded that some Of
the missing boats probably were tho
victims Of rough seas or mines. it is
pointed out this theory scarcely can
hold for all of them. or some trace
would have been found. The belief
still is held here that in some in
stances the crews mutinicd. taking
charge OF the vessels. or that n few
OF the boats were diverted to the
hoozc-r"nnins trade, carrying their
Illicit carEoes from islands of the
West Indies 10 secluded ports of tho
Florida coast.
with the ragged coast Of Florida
offering hundreds of shcltering inIets.
prohibition enforcement officers have
reported n tremendous increase in the
amount of smuggling In that district
and ii is believed an increased num-
her of carriers have been put in the
trade. which is said to be extremely
prohtablc Liquor cargoes. Il iS stated
have most frequently had as their
source the islands OF Bimini and Mas
sai, British possessions, which arc
short saln: from Florida.
Foui PLAY I'm DecrinE Case.
The state Department SUSPECTS
foul play in the case of the Carol
Decftas, The American schooner which
was wrecked off North Carolina with
out leaving sign of her crew. When
the boat passed Cape Lookout light
ship, North Carolina, on January Al.
according to the state Department.
man on board hailed the light
ship. reporting the vessel had lost
both anchors, and asking it's owners
be notified. A short time afterwarL.
another vessel passed tho light-ship.
1t was asked to stop. but. despite
numerous attempts to attract the
.,ip's attention, no response was re-
ccived.
The Carol Deering carried a motor
life boat and dory. but neither of
them has been picked up and no
wreckage from them has been found.
Most of the provisions. clothing and
supplies of tho vessel had been re-