1400 PASSENGERS

Grey River Argus, 5 September 1939, Page 7

1400 PASSENGERS

Torpedoed West of Scotland ON WAY TO CANADA. (Received September 4, 4.5 p.m.) (Press Association —Extraordinary) LONDON, September 3. i It is reported that the steamer Athenia with 1400 passengers aboard, 1 has been torpedoed 200 miles off the Hebrides Islands, while on her way to Canada. The Hebrides are situated on the West of Scotland, 38 de-i grees north latitude and seven de-, grees west longitude.. . MOSTLY CANADIANS ABOARD. (Received September 4, 5.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 3. An official statement, issued at London, reports that the Donaldson Atlantic Liner steamer Athenia of 13,000 tons with 1400 passengers aboard, was torpedoed and sunk, 200 miles off the Hebrides Islands (west of Scotland). The Athenia left Liverpool yesterday (Sunday, September 2,) for Canada. Apparently she went on an irregular course. It is understood that she was escorted by naval craft. The Associated Press correspondent at Washington stated that White House has announced that the Athenia was carrying mostly Canadians, but also some Americans. 246 AMERICAN PASSENGERS. (Received September 4, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. September 4. The Maritime Commission has announced that 101 Americans boarded the Athenia at Liverpool. It has not been learned how many boarded her at Glasgow. The London correspondent of the Associated Press of America says that the “Daily Mail” states that there were 150 Americans aboard the Athenia. , . > (Received September 4, 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 3. The London correspondent of the United Press of America says: The American Embassy reports that there I were 246 Americans aboard the [Athenia, 101 of them embarking at [Liverpool, and 145 at Glasgow.

SOME OF THE AMERICANS. (Received September 4, 7.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 3. The Americans who were aboard the Athenia included the wife of Mr Addison Mallery, Mayor of Saratoga Springs; Miss Rowena Simpson tne daughter of the Vice-President of the Houston National Bank ° f Miss Helen Hannay, the daughter of Judge Allan Hannay; Miss Dorothy Fouts, the daughter of the Attorney Mr Fouts; Miss Betsy Brown, the daughter of a prominent Texas attorney; Miss Genevieve Morrow, the daughter of the President of the Houston Chamber of Coml ? e . rce - tl t A Vancouver message states mat Sir Richard Lake, former Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and Lad} Lake were aboard the Athen a (Received September 4, 9.25 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. The American passengers on the Athenia included a daughter of Mr B D Hull, Chief Engineer of the South-Western Telephone Company, also the wife, son and daughter_ Mr Robert Bridge, (the Disaster Relief Director of . the American Red Cross) ; Miss Margaret Rooke (Professor of Italian at the Smith coi legeV and Mrs Mark Feder (chairwoman of the Cincinnati Womens City Charter Committee). -tiin nm) (Received September 4. 11.1 U P-m.) NEW YORK, September 4. Among the A.henia’s American passengers there were at least three children. Aboard ah- was a pn.cy of school girls returning from a tour of England. THE AMERICAN PASSENGERS. (Received September 5, 12.56 a.m.) NEW YORK, September -4 The American Press correspondent at London says the American Embassy states that there were 314 Americans aboard the “Athenia.” Of thesei 104 embarked at Liverpool, 145 at Glasgow and 65 at Belfast. Passengers Saved TORPEDO kills some. (Received September 4, 11.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. The Belfast correspondent of the Associated Press of America says that the agent for the Athbma s owners there announced that ail aboard had been saved except for f some killed by the torpedo. The survivors were picked up by other vesAmerican passengers on the Athenia include Jane, daughter of MajorGeneral Archibald Sunderland, Chief of the Coast Artillery of the United States Army, and the ten months old daughter of the film producer, Ernst Lubitsch.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. (Received September 4, 11.35 p.m.) LONDON, September 4. The Ministry of Information officially the torpedoing of the British liner Athenia. Nearly alll of the passengers were Americans, lhe liner is sinking. The Athenia left Liverpool on September 2 for Montreal. She carried 1400 passengers and crew and a thousand tons of cargo. The lifeboats are sufficient for 1830 persons. The Athenia was recently reconditioned on an extensive scale involving the entire reconstruction of tne passenger quarters. CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE. (Received September 5, 1.3 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. The American United Press London correspondent states that the ".Athenia’s” master, Captain James Cook wirelessed that the ship was torpedoed 250 miles west of Iriishtrahull Island, off the Northern Irish Coast. The passengers and crew, except those killed by the torpedo explosion, were taken in the boats and have been picked up by various ships. NO MUNITIONS CARRIED. (Received September 4, 7.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 4President Roosevelt’s secretary announced: "According to official infori mation, the ship came ffoni Glasgow

to Liverpool, and.she.was bound for] Canada, and she was bringing refugees, I would point out that this will show that there was no possibility, I according to official information, that 1 the ship, was carrying any munitions or anything of that kind.” U.S.A. RECALLS. LUSITANIA SINKING. (Received September 4 9.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 4. The first reaction of Americans to the news of the torpedoeing of the Athenia was marked. It electrified the United States. It immediately recalled to Americans the Lusitania outrage, which precipitated America’s entry into the Great War. The sinking was announced by radio shortly after Mr Roosevelt’s nation-wide broadcast in which he said: “Even a neutral has the right to take account of facw. Even a neutral cannot be asked to close his mind or his conscience.” EX-WEST COASTER. MAY HAVE BEEN PASSENGER. The relatives of Mrs. Partridge (wife of Mr. E. Partridge, formerly Headmaster of Hokitika District High School, and latterly Inspector of Schools at Wanganui) have had reason to believe that she was a passenger on the Athenia. Mrs. Partridge, who is a sister of Dr. J. F. C. Moore, of Greymouth, was to have left Liverpool on Sunday by a liner for Nortn America. The news, therefore, that all of the passengers have been saved, relieved the anxiety of her relatives. “Worse Than Lusitania” AMERICAN PRESS VIE*/. (Received September 4, 11.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. The London correspondent of the “New York Times” points out the Americans on the Athenia were not travelling on a British ship in violation of United States neutrality, because they started the voyage homeward a day before war was declared. Moreover, the American Embassy assisted some of them to obtain their passage.

“The torpedoing without warning! and regardless of the neutral passon-j gers aboard, is even more flagrant than the sinking of the Lusitania. It . is also more reprehensible because ( since the Great War Germany has subscribed to the international treaty | pledging the signatories to refrain , from sinking merchant ships without warning and without providing for the safety of the passengers and . crew. SCANDINAVIAN VESSELS RESCUE 1000. (Received September 4, 11.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. The American Associated Press Copenhagen correspondent reported that the Norwegian ship Knud Nelson picked up 800 survivors of the Athenia, and the Swedish yacht Southern Cross took 200. CASUALTIES CONFIRMED. (Received September 4, 11.31 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 4. The State Department confirms that the only casualties on the Athenia were those killed by the exI plosion. I OFFICIAL VERSION. (Received September 5, 1.20 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. Official: —There were 246 Americans aboard the “Athenia” which made a special trip to Liverpool to pick up 101 of them, mostly tourists. All of the passengers were rescued except those killed by the explosion when the “Athenia” was torpedoed 250 miles west of Inishtrafiull. ANXIETY ON ATLANTIC. (Received September 4, 9.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, (September 4. The “Athenia’s” fate has caused anxiety over the whole breadth of tf'.e Atlantic Ocean, where there are thousands of Americans, who are fleeing from the war zone. British Charges " DENIED BY GERMANY. (Received September 5, 3.18 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. The Ministry of Information, in a statement, charged Germany with i “direct contravention of the rules of : warfare in sinking the “Athenia.” BERLIN, September 4. The German radio denied that a ■ German submarine sunk the “Athenia”, asserting that it would be against strict orders. It is asserted ■ that it is more likely the liner struck • a mine.