Evening star., 1928-11-13
PLAN TO RECEIVE RESCUED.


Capt. D. A. Maloney, operating man
ager of the American Merchants Line,
owners of the American Shipper, said
it would take the ships approximately
16 hours to make New York from the
scene of her rescue of the three life
boats and a life raft of the Vestris.
He said If possible he would have the
quarantine regulations waived so that
the ship could proceed directly to her
pier in the North River to discharge
the rescued persons she had aboard.
Coast Guard officials at Battery Park
said that the destroyer Davis was stand
ing by with the other vessels of the
rescue fleet and that in all probability
some of the rescued passengers OF the
Vestris would be transferred to that
vessel and brought to New York.
Difficulty of Rescue.
The task of the rescue vessels was
made doubly hard because of the un-
certainty as to the exact position where
the lifeboats were launched and how
far they might have drifted since.
The last position reported as the ship
was abandoned yesterday at 1:25 was
37.35 north latitude, 108 west longi-
tude. about 24O miles from Sandy Hook
and the same distance from Cape Henry,
Va. but radio bearings on the vessel by
shore stations placed her much farther
to the west, indicating that in the ex-
citement the true position of the ship
might not have been given or received.
The Vestris, which left New York Sat-
urday bound for Barbados OF the Wind
ward Island group and South American
ports, reported herself in trouble at 6
O'Clock yesterday morning, but said she
InI M 0ccicf0TRQ Then
am, came the S o S.
Hove to During Gale.
Subsequent messages for help during
the next three hours and half said
tllat she had hove to in gale, that
she had then developed list to star
board and that she was sinking Slowly
No reason for the trouble was given, but
officials of the line believed at the time
she had either sprung leak while IN
the trough of the sea Sunday or had
struck a submerged derelict, caVing
in her bulkheads and allowing the seas
to rush in which would have given her
the 32-degree list she reported.
At the first S o several CONNER
cial ships. including the Ohio Maru, the
San Juan and the motor ship Santa
Barbara started to her assistance. The
Ohio Maru was nearest to the VeStris
and wirelessed she should reach the
position by pm. "Oh, please come
at once. We need imme late atten-
tion," was the answer from the Vestris
radio operator, M. J. OLoughlin.
The United States Navy then ordered
the Coast Guard destroyer Davis and
the battleship Wyoming, flagship OF
Vice Admiral M. M. Taylor, to go to the
rescue. The wyoming, which was at
war maneuvers off the Virginia Capes
fi1F ut
forced draft.
Ohio Maru First There.
The Ohio Maru was first to reach the
position last given by the Vestris, but
reported there was no trace of the ship
or her lifeboats.
The San Juan also reported no Sigr
of the Vestris or the lifeboats when she
arrived at the position given, at 545
Then at 8 pm. came message from
the Santa Barbara, which said:
In vicinity Of wreck of Vestris
Searchlights working, but no sign o.
wreck or lifeboatS. Will cruise around.
A garbled message from the destroye
Davis at 1890 o'clock said: vessel Il
port on starboard No sign of lifeboats
Continuing search" The first part o
the message was taken to refer to othe
rescue vessels in the vicinity.
Inc wyoming IepOICcu ldIe III In
night that she was near the scene ant
early this morning the Berlin of tn
North German Lloyd Line said she hat
reached the position of the wreck Nom
of the ships then reported any success
in sighting wreckage or lifeboats The,
said the visibility was low and that
was raining.
Officials Kept Up Hope.
Despite the discouraging reports, Off
cials of the line, which is British owned
refused to give up hope. The 16 life
boats and the motor boat which tn
Vestris carried are practically unsink
able, they said. They believe that a
soon as the lifeboats were clear of tn
wreck they made for shore If the moto