Evening star., 1929-12-19
371 SAVED AS LINER
GOES DOWN AFTER
COLLISION IN FOG
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| (COnJnued from F1rSC Page.)
knots. She was built at Glasgow in
1918. She was valued at $1,500,0O0.
The Algonquin was launched at New
port News in 1926. Her gross tonnage is
$500. She is 402 feet long with beam
of SIS feet. Last June she caught fire
in the Gulf of Mexico and the crew
fought the blaze for a day and a half
while the ship raced for port. None was
injured. although the ship suffered con-
| siderable damage.
Although the first S o S was sent cut
as soon as the crash happened, radio
! York area was not Silenced for 20 min
uteS. OfhcialS said static interfered
with their operators hearing the call.
1t was not until radio headquarters
of the third naval district sent out or
derS to clear the air in accordance with
| radio regulations that the broadcaSting
Of programs was halted. Broadcasting
stations were silent thereafter for more
than three hours while messages telling
of the Shipwreck and rescue were
flashed.
Arrangements were being made to-
day to refund the passage money or
provide other transportation South for
the l89 passengers aboard the Alcon-
quln. Herman G. WenZel, passenger
traffic agent of the line, said 161 of the
passengers had been booked for Miami
and the others for Galveston. He said
the Cherokee, sailing at noon for
Jacksonville, Fla, had accommodations
for 200 more passengers. He said the
line would pay railroad transportation
for the passengers from Jacksonville to
Miami.
Those booked for Galveston will have
their fares refunded, he said as the
next Clyde Line ship for Galveston does
not sail until December %.
Ashore four Investigations were
started into the disaster, which caused
the loss of ship, its $3.50 900 cargo and
uncounted personal losses to her pas
sengerS, most of whom lost all their
travelling equipment and clothes, except
these they wore when transferred to
pilot boats and tugs from the sinking
ship.
In the Hotel McAlpin, where 220
rooms had been reserved for them by
the Furness line, the passengers and
crew of the Fort Victoria slept late to-
day as the line went ahead with prepa-
rationS to send all those who wanted
to continue their voyage to Bermuda on
another ship, the Fort st. George.
Capt. Francis of the Fort Victoria
was loath to discuss the crash, reserv-
ing any comment he might have 10
make for the ears of the lines officials
and official investigators of the crash.
1t was feared his ship would be
total loss and might have to be dyna-
mited to clear the entrance to Ambrose
Channel.
261 Sacks of Mail Lost.
There were 261 sacks of mail aboard
the Fort Victoria, the foreign division
OF the Postal Service announced today
All OF it went down with the ship.
Clyde Line officials declined to dis
cuSS the accident today. waiting until
the Algonquin could return to its pier
and Capt. j. w. Mackenzie could file
his report. The steamer Cherokee Yats
being held to take aboard the Algon-
gums passengers.
Officers of the Steamboat Inspection
Service also were withholding their in
quiry until receiving the report Of Capt
Mackenzie. officials said they would
not question the officers of the Fort
Victoria unless they appeared volur-
tarily for questioning, pointing out that
they had no supervision over ships OF
foreign registry.