A STERN CHASE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 37, 30 September 1914, Page 6

A STERN CHASE.

JAPANESE LINER ANI? SUPPOSED GERMAN CRUISER. The giant Japanese liner Cliiyo Marti, the largest passenger vessel in the Pacific Ocean, plying from the Orient to San Francisco, entered the latter port at the end of August with passengers and crew telling the story of a stern chase through the night, the liner being the pursued, and a German cruiser, believed to be the Leipsic, the pursuer. When 1080 miles from San Francisco, on the way from Honolulu, the Cliiyo was marked by the powerful searchlight from a German cruiser, thought to be the Leipsic, which has been menacing steamship service between the Hawaiian Islands and Hie Pacific Coast. The’ Cliiyo had a Valuable cargo stowed' away in her holds, and a full list 1 - Of passengers,' this including 101 class, 81 second, an'd 114 llie passengers included an Italian and countess, English and French ib--servists, and tourists whose travelling plans had been interrupted by. tluv outbreak of.hpstilitie.si, The warship appeared suddenly a,s* tern of fihrp, jcansj'jvg alarm among, the ' half;, light ’oU^Satu^y; August 29,yat 7 o'clock, had'just cbme bn deck Greene, the skipper, estimated'the 4o bd-distant 10 miles, and Jie for full "ijjieod ahead. Searchlights from the,-bruiser shone on the J apjncseK |iner,’-.,aud the warship was seen to be all possible speed ‘ JO overtake,,-i/ihd Cliiyo. Captain Greene gave £i;dCTS td;put < on Ihore steam, and all slokers and.fire-, men on the steamer were pufc.tb work/' Fifteen minutes after the qjruiser was sighted.-' Chief-engineer' Ishii had Cliiyo’s two giant, knots. JiJeanwhi|^., , s/.*ci^§tajltl.; thV JC/jiiyo,. where; p, the pasSf.nfeers were diuddled’iti a gfo.up. Orders were immediately given tp'bhscftre all lights, and-the crew busied themsfelves covering tbp,portholes with matting. At Best it appeared to the startieu group, gathered at the deck-rails to watch, that the cruiser was gaining. Then followed an hour of tensfe waiting, when the racers seemed to be travelling at an even speed. At tW'Cliiyo began- to gain. Long into the night the race continued, ;aid the passengers watched. The lights of the cruiser were plainly discernible and the sea-fighter’s outline convinced the officers of the Chiyo Maru that it was the Kaiser’s property. Gradually the strip of water broadened as the steamer drew away. Towards morning the light from went out, and the cruiser began to disappear. The race was won.

Captain Greene stated that early, on the 'Saturday morning ho saw a ship 10 miles to the north. “We signalled the boat with flags,” he explained, “but the signals were not ans'wered. We wore afraid to,use the wireless for fear of making" our position known’ and I now believe that the vessel made our position known to the ’German cruiser.” - U