CHASED AND SUNK

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 621, 25 March 1929, Page 1

CHASED AND SUNK

Suspected British Schooner ATTACKED BY US. COASTGUARDS

(United P.A. — By/ Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and fN .Z. Press Association) (United Service)

NEW YORK, Saturday. A MESSAGE from New Orleans states that the British auxiliary schooner, I'm Alone, which was suspected of being a carrier of contraband liquor, was sunk off that coast yesterday in a battle with a United States coastguard craft. One member of the crow of the schooner was killed or drowned. The Washington 'correspondent of the New York “Times” says serious complications with Britain loom as a strong probability as a result of the sinking of the vessel.

Th* British. Ambassador, Sir Esme Howard, called at the State Department to-day and told the Assistant Secretary, Mr. \V. K. Castle, that if the facts we as reported in the Press it might prove a serious case. The sinking of the schooner* is without precedent in the long record of the efforts of the coastguard to enforce the Prohibition laws. The outcome of the case will be influenced by a determination of the* question whether the vessel was within the 12-mile territorial limit. Coastguard officials express the certainty that the ship was ‘within territorfcil waters. Other officials frankly say they have doubts on that point. Admiral F. C. Hillard, who is in charge of the coastguard* says the I’m Alone was sunk after slue had offered resistance. He contended that the coastgua’dsmen were well within their rights in sinking the ship. They would be “backed to the limit” by His office. Admiral Billard says the vessel was A notorious rum-runnefr. It is recognised in Washington that the incident may raUse the question in London of continuing the Ship Liquor Treaty. Official details about the incident contained in a Press report to-day stated that the crew of the I’m Alone are being brought back in irons. COASTGUARDS’ STORY After the British. Ambassador, Sir Esme Howard, had called at the State Department in connection with the sinking of the schooner I’m Alone the coastguard was asked for further information. Admiral Billard declared that the ship had a smuggling record of nearly live years. She cleared from Belize, British Honduras, with a cargo of liquor ostensibly destined for Burmudar.

On Thursday last she was seeen from the cutter Walcott eight miles off the Louisiana coast. It was estiin a ted by the coastguard that she was 500 miles off her proper course. A pursuit was begun and the Walcott radioed for assistance as the I’m Alone was a fast ship. Washington headquarters ordered the coastguard at Mobile to send every available cutter. The Dexter then joined in the hunt. She hailed the I’m Alone and when the latter refused to stop she sank her. SUNK IN DEEP WATER The admiral said the failure of the captain of the schooner to stop was entire justification for the action taken. A message from New Orleans says the Federal authorities there are awaiting the arrival of the Dexter to open an investigation of the sinking of the I’m Alone in one of the deepest spots in the Gulf of Mexico, 200 miles off the Louisiana coast and 150 miles from Yucatan. The United States Atorney, Edward Talbot, has expressed the opinion that the stiff resistance of the crew of the I’m Alone indicated the presence on board of a cargo of aliens, who were probably drowned. Coastguard officers do not credit that view. They say the ship probably was carrying only liquor and narcotics. If the chase was started within the 12-mile limit, officials say the coastguardsmen were within their rights. The Dexter is bringing the crew of the sunken vessel and the body of a negro seaman, who was drowned in the rush for the lifeboats. The I’m Alone was a wooden vessel of 205 tons gross register, fitted with twin screws and an oil engine. She was built in 11)23 by Messrs. Smith and Rhuland at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. She belonged to the I’m Alone Shipping Company, Limited, and her port of registry was Lunenburg.