Ellsworth American., 1922-12-27
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MXSTER RIES
THE RIDDLE OF THE cYcLoPs
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all other unsolved riddles of the sea
with the possible exception of the mat
ter of the Marie Celeste-the unex-
planned loss Of one of the United
States colliers, Cyclops. stands pre-
eminent. apparently one of the few
cases on record where the sea literally
opened and swallowed huge boat.
leaving not the slightest trace of the
vessel or her crew.
The brief and formal announcement
Of the Navy department by Secretary
Daniels issued at the time that the
Cyclops was officially added to the list
of missing ships. gives the principal
details in the case. few and inadequate
as they are: ut was on March 4,
1915" read this announcement. that
the collier Cyclops, 10000 tons dis
placement, put into the British West
Indies for coal. She was due in her
home port on March l3. Since her
departure from that port there has
not been a trace Of the vessel and
long-continued and vigilant search of
the entire region proved utterly futile.
not vestige of the wreckage having
been discovered.
mo reasonable explanation Of her
strange disappearance can be given
II is known that one of her two en-
gines was damaged. and that she was
proceeding at reduced speed, but II
the engine had become disabled It
would not have had any effect upon
her ability to communicate by radio.
Mnny theories have been advanced, but
none that seems to account satisfac.
',rIy for the ships complete vanish
ment After months of search and
waiting. the Cyclops has been finally
given up as lost and her name stricken
from the registry"
But these are only the barest facts
IN the case, and make no mention OF
one " the most interesting points con
nected with the mystery-the fact
that the Cyclops carried as a passen'
ger Alfred Louis Moreau Gottschalk.
American consul general at Rio
.l"neiro and man who had been in
strumental in stirring up sentiment
throughout Brazil in favor Of the
allied forces. A number Of an"ny-
nous communications threatening his
life had been received by the consul
general prior to his return to the
United States. in order to resume his
commission In the Fifth regiment Of
New York but the most startling fact
of all was that within two weeks
after the Cyclops sailed and at least
month before she was reported as
missing a notice appeared in a Rio
Janeiro newspaper stating that
requiem mass would be celebrated for
the American consul general "lost at
sea in the American collier Cyclops."
A number of Americans in Brazil
noticed the announcement at the time
and made inquiries about 1t, but the
newspaper in question disclaimed any
knowledge Of the person who had in
serted the notice and little attention
v'as paid to II until word was re-
ceived from the States that the collier
was long overdue. American secret
service agents then tried to trace the
cline Of the newspaper clipping but
the trail was too cold. The man who
had brought It into the office of the
newspaper had disappeared as COM
pletely as had the Cyc.ops!
Among the theories advanced for
the failure Of the vessel. .seaworthy
in the extreme. and in the best shape
save for a minor accident to one of
her engines. was that she had either
been sunk by German submarine op.
Grating In West Indian waters or that
she had been captured and taken Into
Germany In order that the central
powers might have the benefit Of the
Iarge cargo Of manganese which she
was carrying One Of the first acts
of the American authorities after the
signing Of the armistice. therefore, was
to examine all German records deal
ips with naval operations during the
period of the war. But. while refer
ence was found to the sinking Of
every vessel which had been torpe-
doed, together with the date Of the
attack and the name of the officer COM
manding the submarine or raider. no
mention whatever was to be located
concerning the Cyclops. If she fell
a victim to German submarine, It
must have been one Of those which
failed to return to port, else German
pride IN the success of their campaign
Of frightfulness would have led to a
permanent record Of the exploit.
Inasmuch as no storm or even rough.
weather was reported in the West In
dies at this time. the most tenable
theory appears to be that of certain
naval officers who maintain that the
collier must have fOundered through
the sudden displacement Of her cargo
manganese shifting with the ease and
rapidity of q cargo Of wheat. But
until the truth or falsity Of this sup,
position Is established by the discov,
cry OF some totally unexpected clue
the Cyclops must be numbered, with
the President. the NarOnic the City