MYSTERIES OF THE SEA

Taihape Daily Times, 28 January 1919, Page 7

MYSTERIES OF THE SEA

The history of the sea. is replete wirii mysteries. Doubtless the one best known and presenting the most inexplicable features is the case of the Marie Ucloste. This was a barque which, many years ago, was discovered wholly deserted off Maderia. The sea was smooth, very little wand, was blowing, the ship was under all sail. Her curious manoeuvres, being without control, attracted the attention of a passing vessel which approached her and sent ,a boat to board her. Not a soul was found on board the Marie Celeste, no trace of "any struggle was observed, no boat •" was missing from her davit. A cooked but uneaten breakfast was on the captain's table, and traces were in his cabin of the previous presence of his wife and small child. Nothing has developed since that time to account for this flight, nor has anything ever been heard of the people who formed her ship's company. The reader may, if he desires, .accept the suggestion of one imaginative inquirer that a huge octopus reached up his snake-like tentacles and gathered in those who were not driven into the sea by the terror of his grim appearance.

Of course., hundreds of vessels have started from port,, never to reach their destination; have vanished from the face of the ocean. The White Star steamship rvaronic left Boston sonic thirty years ago, never to be accounted for since, except that there is some reason to believe that she was improperly loaded and that in a heavy gale of wind she capsized.

Since the introduction of ruthless find unrestricted warfare a groat many vessels have been 'spurlos v'ersonkt,' to use the unctuous phrasology of the pirates. It is therefore quite proper to-day "to refer any ease, of the loss of .a ship at sea to this sinister cause The merchant marine service supplies much the larger number of such instances, but the navy of the United States must claim for its own one of these distressing and perplexing eatasptrophes—(the w>.m'&n:mg of the - collier Cyclops. She left Eio de Janiero • in February 1918, carrying, a cargo of manganese ore, much needed by the Government for the making of a certain quality of stool for munitions. In addition she took on board a number of passengers authorised by the Navy Department. From this port she proceeded to Barbadoes. On March 4 she left Bardadoes, bound for New York, where she was due on March 13. Not a word has ever been received from her from that day to this. The Navy Department caused careful and repeated search to be made of the waters through which she was likely to pass as soon as fears of her safety were entertained. Not so much .as a life preserver, a grating, a boat, or an oar belonging to the Cylops was" found. If ever a ship disappeared and left no trace, it was the Cyclops.