BRITISH AUXILIARY SCHOONER

Evening Star, Issue 20133, 25 March 1929, Page 6

BRITISH AUXILIARY SCHOONER

SUSPECTED CONTRABAND CARRIER SIM OFF AMERICAN COAST Prws Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NMW YORK, March t’2. Yews from New Orleans states that the British auxiliary schooner .I’m Alone, a suspected eontrahand carrier, mas sunk oil’ the coast in a battle mitli the coastguard craft. One of the erew mas killed or drowned.—Australian Press Association—United Service, BRITISH AMBASSADOR VISITS STATE DEPARTMENT. Prow 'Association—By Telegraph— Copyright m tr P? KW YORK > &J. ( o’i P ns 11 n ftt°n correspondent of I ho limes ’ says that serious complicatamis with .Britain are a. strong iirobainlity as a result of the sinking of the British schooner I'm Alone. Sir Esmo Howard (British Anibas-a-mir) called on the State Department to-day and told the Assistant Secretary that if the facts mere as reported 3,1 the Press it might prove, a serious ease. The sinking is without precedent in the long record of the efforts of the coastguard to enforce the Prohibition mms. The outcome of the ease mill he influenced by whether or not the vessel was within the twelve-mile territorial limit. The coastguard officials expressed certainty that the ship was within territorial waters, but other official circles frankly express doubt upon the,point. Admiral Dullard, who is in charge of the coastguard, declared that the vessel was sunk after she put up resistance, and ho contends that the guardsmen were well within their rights in sinking the ship. They would bo backed to the limit by his office. He said that the vessel was a notorious rum-runner. > It is recognised here that the incidentraise the question in London of continuing the ship liquor treaty. Official details concerning the incident are, lacking. A Press report today declared that the I’m Alone’s crew were being brought back in irons.— Australian Press Association. DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT, GULF Ok’ MEXICO THE SCENE. Pres» Association-By Tc-'ograph -Copyright WASHINGTON. March 24. Sir Esmo Howard did not make representations to the State Department, but intimated that if the Press reports were true the matter might be seriously considered.

Tlio department has asked the coastguard lor further information. Meanwhile Admiral Bullard lias declared that the ship was a notorious smuggler with a record of nearly live years. The admiral "Lid that the I'm Alone cleared for .Belize (.British Honduras) with a cargo of liquor ostensibly destined lor the Bermudas. The cutter Walcott saw her eight miles off the Louisiana coast, where she was estimated bv the coastguard to bo 500 miles olf her proper cour.se. Pursuit began, the Walcott radioing for assistance, as the I’m Alone was last. Headquarters ordered the coastguard at Mobile to send every available cutter. The Dexter joined the hunt, and hailed the I’m Alone, and when she refused to stop sank her. The admiral said that the failure of the skipper to stop was entire justification for the action taken. The .federal authorities are waiting for the arrival of the Dexter to start investigations into the sinking, which occurred in one of the deepest spots in. the Gulf of Mexico, 200 miles from the Louisiana coast and 150 miles Yucatan.

The United States Attorney ('Mr Edward Talbot) expressed the opinion that the still' resistance of the crow indicated the presence of a number of aliens, who wore probably drowned, but coastguard officers do not credit this, saying that probably she was carrying only litjnors and narcotics. Jf the chase started within the twelve-mile limit, the officials said, the guardsmen were within' their rights. The cutter is bringing the .crew in irons and the body of a negro seaman who was drowned in the rush for the lifeboats.—Australian Press Associ at ion- Un i ted Servicc.