THE WEATHER. STAR Business Locals have long been recognized as the ideal medium for the advertiser with a small appropriation or the person with a want of any kind unfulfilled Storm warnings are displayed on the Atlantic coast from ; Jacksonville to Eastport. Fair Saturday and Sunday;, colder on the coast Saturday. VOL. XCVII-KO. 161 WILMINGTON, N. C, SATURDAY MOKNING, MARCH 4, 1916 WHOLE NUMBER 39,522 AMIDST A TURBULENT SCENE SENATE VOTES TO STAND BY WILSON BATTLE IS 181116 STARTED BY POSSIBLY OVER 3,000 PERISHED AS FRENCH AROUND DOUAUM STEAMER F RED QN sun 600 MILES AT SEA f Si ..- British Ship Chased by, a Mys terious Craft 0 T WHITE AUDIT GO. To Enjoin the Order of Rail- CRUDER WEN! DOWN Gore Resolution to Warn Americans Off Armed Bel- ; ligerent Ships Killed BY VOTE OF 68 TO 14 McClemore Resolution in the House Will be Reported Unfavorably Today. Sensational Debate Follows Vote in the Senate. AYashington, March 3. By a vote of 68 to 14 the Senate today carried out President Wilson's wish aud killed Senator Gore's resolution to warn Americans off armed belligerent ships. In a turbulent scene, such as is seldom witnessed in the Senate, the voting proceeded with Senators shouting objections, futilely demanding recognition tto explain their posi tions and making hot retorts to each other, all of which were out of order. At One time SO many Senators were shouting for the.man embassy at Washington; John w. Vice President's recognition that the sergeant-at-arms was -called to restore quiet. Free Expressions of Opinions After having maneuvered for two days to get the resolution in such par liamentary position that it was dis posed of without debase,., the - ; Senate then proceeded to a general discussion of the sub jest which continued all af ternoon to the dismay of administra tion supporters. There were free ex pressions of opinion that the Senate's action because the vote actually was taken on a motion to table the Gore resolution with a correction "by the au thor and, a substitute by Senator Mc Cumber, was in effect a "Scotch ver dict" and had not actually accomplish ed the purpose of the President. Such statements aroused the President's friends, who feared they would produce an effect exactly opposite to that in tendeda notice to the world that the .Senate stands behind the President in his demand on Germany for the rights of Americans traveling the seas. House Resolution Unfavorable in the House, however, the Foreign Affairs committee, by a vote of 17 to 2, took a longer step toward meeting ful ly the President's wishes. It voted o report the McLemore warning res olution, with the recommendation that it be tabled. In the report the com mittee asserts that the constitution im poses the conduct of diplomatic rela tions on the President, and " with this practice the committee does not feel It Proper for the House of Representa tives to interfere." It probably will be voted on in the House tomorrow under a special rule. Administration forces are confident of a fledged victory. At the White House satisfaction .was exhibited with the Senate action. Senator Gore voted for the motion o table and declared he considered the administration victory a mixed one. Debate is Sensational. Th -debate which followed the Sen ate Vftt A Hoc 1 C -wis, the Democratic whip, pleading with senators for moderation in their remarks, declared the Spanish war o?id have been averted by action In ' ongress similar to that taken today apd that the war was brought on by vituperative .debates. Senator Clarke, '"mot-rat, t.f Arkansas, who voted with administration forces, declared 't'eir action did not represent the real ntiment of the Senate. Senatpr Fall, 8 Republican, said: ' . By your action today you have sent the Kaiser, if you have done any jnine. notice that the Senate of the uted States will look upon his sink 'ne, of armed merchant ships and the 'eath of an American citizen--probab- with some degree of regret, but that sction would be taken against him." senator Borah, of Idaho, arraigned p -Sfnate for what he characterized evasive action. He said he would a'nr have battleships sunk than to the honor of this Nation corapro md before the world. On- the other hand. Senator Kern, majority leader, upheld the action, sertmR that it would proclaim to all 8,K-ns that the President in exercis his constitutional powers in the con V! ?f nOTia-tions with them, spoke to nr himself' no for his party, but al the people of his country who ro prepared to back him with their ri u. !n an insistance of: American Emphatically asserting that there 'Ji be no confusing of the Senate son because of technical parliamen v.: entanglements, Senator Lodge, of -a-ssachusetts, ranking Republican "fmb-r of the Foreign Relations com- on t-r J as 'PPslng a warning to Am- 'IS and n e-n infit t r-f vr. n.Uk th executive." Action of Disposal Complex. action which effectually dispos- - ore resolution was a comr w "ono- Senator Stone moved to .,, ,1 the resolution before the Senate, Senator Gore than obtained permis ir,' , chane resolution. Retain f !.e original preamble, he substi 'J the resolution with the following: i.-solved, That ths sinking by a (Continued from. Page Elgfct.) " OF FEDERAL COURT 4 ' ' German Authorities Protest Suit Against Appam ASK FOR ITS DISMISSAL Answer to Libel Proceedings of "British Owners Contends the Ship is Le , sally a German Price. Filed at Norfolk. Norfolk, Va., March 3. The German Empire, through Lieutenant Hans Berg, commanding the former British liner Appam, and L. M. von Schilling, vice consul for the district comprising Nor folk, Newport News and Portsmouth, today denied the jurisdiction of the federal Court in deciding the status of the "ship, in answering libel proceed ings instituted by the African Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., of Liverpool, 'for recovery of the vessel. The answer was filed in the Federal Court, but no date ws set for hearing the case This will probably"be de cided tomorrow. Lieutenant Beror. Prince Hatzf eldt, secretary to the Ger- Pinion, ot wasnmgion, ana Korvin K. Lindheim were in court when the pa per was filed. It reads in part as fol lows: . - The Answer in Part. 'The claim, plea and answer of Hans Berg, master in charge of the prize ship 'Appam, and L. M. von Schilling, vice consul of the German Empire for me district comprising' iNewport .wews, rNorfolk. Portsmouth and all -waters I contiguous thereto, hereby claim the j said 'Appam' and aver that she is the i property, of the said German Empire I and no other person is the owner there- of; and they further severally aver that they are. duly authorized hereto by said owner, and that the said Hans Berg is the master of said prize ship 'Appam' and bailee, thereof for the said owner. "These respondents have no knowl edge when nor whence said steamer sailed and therefore neither admit nor deny the same but call for strict proof thereof. They derry that on or about the 16th- day of January, 1916, or at any time thereafter she was unlawfully seized by certain persons unknown to the libellant. though they admit that she was brought into Hampton Roads under the circumstances hereafter de scribed and that she is now at the port of Newport News. Va. .' "Lawful Prise 'of War." "And further answering these re spondents state that the said steamer 'Appam' while a British vessel, was captured on the high seas on January 15th, 1916, during the existence of a state of war between Great Britain and the German Empire, by the Moewe, a man-of-war of the" German Empire and became a lawful prize, of war of said empire and was placed by the com mander of said captor vessel" in charge of Hans Berg,, a lieutenant in . the na val forces of said German Empire, and a prize crew composed of men in the naval service of said empire, and was brought into the port of Newport News, Va , and is now held by the said Hans Berg and his said prize crew as. a law ful prize of war belonging to and the property of the said German Empire.' "And these respondents further aver that by the law of nations the. title' of said German Empire to the said prize cannot be inquired into in these pro ceedings, and that by the treaties-no,w in force between the -said . German Em pire and the United States of America and also by. the said law of nations, the said prize . was entitled to enter the harbor of Newport News and is exempt from any legal process or arrest, search or otherwise, fn the premises, and on behalf of and by authority of said Ger man Empire they respectfully protest against, any -action of this court and pray that the said libel be dismissed." NOTIFY AGENTS TO SUSPEND BUSINESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA Action Taken Vy Foreign and American - Fire - Insurance Companies. New. -'York; March 3. Various foreign and American fire insurance companies that hayebeen doing business" in .South Carolina, aretpreparing circulars noti fying their agents in that state to sus pend operations there, it was said here today, and those companies that have not renewed their South Carolina li censes which expire April 1, are plan ning to allow them to-lapse. This action is understood to be . in pursuance ' of an informal! decision reached at a gathering of representa tives of these companies in this city on Tuesday, at which consideration was given to the 'fire insurance brokerage and antt-epmpact bills then pending, in South Carolina and which have since been signed by Governor Manning. This decision by the companies located here Is declared to mean a virtual abandonment of their fire insurance opr erations In South Carolina. Boston, Mass.; March 3. Five men were reported lost tonight in the wreck of a barge of Scituate at the northern AntranA of : this , harbor. A blizzard was raging -and two other barges, part of a tow of three were reported drift- Ins- nRhnre " "' v ' Germans Forced to Give Ground to the French FIGHTING IS UNABATED Russians Capture Town of Bitlis in Turkish Armenia British Ile Cnpture Sldl Bar ani German Seaplane Captured. " Around the village of Douaumont, which is' in the hands of the Germans, is raging a .battle of great intensity. Having captured the village and ex tended their lines west and south, the Germans were forced to give ground before vicious attacks of the French, who regained part of the terrain they had lost. The fighting here is proceed ing unabated. . . From the region of Malancourt, west of the Meuse, to the Woevre region, east of Verdun, the bombardments are of a violent character, the Germans endeavoring to force their way closer to the fortress of Verdun and ' the French tenaciously striving" to hold them baqk. - Several assembling points of the Germans have been vigorously shelled by the French, especially in the vicinity of Beaumont. The Germans admit, that in the re gion of Ypres' the British recaptured he positions the Germans took from them February 14, but say that the British were immediately, driven out of most of them. The British, however, declared that they have consolidated these positions. There has been considerable artillery activity in the Argonne forest and in upper Alsace an infantry, engagement in which elements of Germans trenches were taken by the French. Comparative quiet prevails on the Russian front. Along the line in the Alps and on the. Isonzo river sector the Austrians and Italians continue their bombardments and attacks at various points by infantfy, but without ma terially changing .their positions. The Russians have captured the. im portant town of Bitlis-in-the Lake Van district of Turkish Armenia, and else where in., theiCaucasusu.reglon .Antlfin 'Persia are "keepings up-. : their - vigorous offensive against the Ottoman forces. An, official communicatioon from the Turkish army, headguarters says the east and west coast-districts of Aden have come "under Ottoman rule as the result of the - submission of the tribes men. : The Turks also 'report a defeat recently-pf s the British near Dafiuch, in. the neighborhood of Aden, but the British official press-bureau denies that an engagement took ,place here. The . British have, re-occupied Sidi Bara.nl. in. western Egypt- which had been in the hands of Senussi tribesmen, commanded by Turkish officers. The town was occupied without resistance. . A German seaplane has .been captur ed off the Belgian coast while . return ing from England, one of its occupants had been drowned. The other was tak en prisoner. It is thought, probable i that this craft is the one that bombard ed the coast of . England Wednesday night. INDICATION OP STRENGTH German Successes Believed to Confirm Predictions of Experts. Berlin, March 3. (By wireless to Sayville). The Capture of the town of DOuaumont and the steady successes of the Germans m the region of Verdun seemingly, confirm the repeated (Continued on Paste Eight.) THRONGS VIEW BODY Of DAVE EVANS III SIDE On Pavement in Front of Greenville Court House Negro Convict" Who Had Killed Two Omcers Within 1 TvVo Weefcs, is Himself .Killed in His Home in Pitt ,County. (Special Star Telegram.) Greenville, N. C, March 3. It is esti mated that fully a; thousand .people this afternoon viewed the dead Jody of Dave Evans the . .negro , convict- and desperado, who within' two weeks kill ed two county officials, and had Jtiimself been : shot, to death in his own home earlier in the ;day by W. L. "House a member of a large posse that had. been searching for him for several days and nights . The body was first taken to Ayden, where it lay on the pavement and was viewed by hundreds. TOnigh't the body is in the basement of the court house. . ' This morning W. L. House went to the negro's home," a few mile southeast' of Ayden, and found, the negro was in the house. "Opening the door, Evans fired at" House v but missed , him ..and slammed the door shut. House fired through the -door, when Evans -went to a window, through which' House shot i again. Evans fell. House ' broke In. Evans, lying on the floor, - again at tempted to use, his pistol on the posse man, but the . latter emptied his pistol into the body of the prostrate negro, killing him. The body.. was then taken to Ayden and later brought to Greenville in an automobile.'. ' Evans was discovered in his home yesterday by W J. Smith "and Ronald I Harrington, or Ayaen, alter- a posse . uwiuuiwu vu,ra okuv.j . . .. TWO SHOTS WERE FIRED Captain of the Steamer Swift Wings at Newport News Tells of Sighting Two Other Mysterious Ships Off Bermuda. UNIDENTIFIED STEAMER. PASSES INTO THE CAPES Norfolk, Va., March 3. An uni dentified steamer with two funnels, passed in the Vfrginia capes this afternoon during, a northwest gale, and heavy snow storm. The ob server at Cape Henry saw her only for a few minutes when she dis appeared in the snow. He says he saw only her outlines and her two funnels. , Captain Wood of the- Vir ginia Pilots Association Is reported to have boarded the vessel off the capes and was. at the-wheel when she passed in. " ' ' . Newport News, Va,, March 3. -Cap-tain D. W. Griffiths, master of the British steamer Swift Wings, tonight stated that he was. fired on twice by a mysterious ship about 600 miles off the Virginia Capes, about ; 12 days ago. - "It was about 5 o'clock In the after noon, a week ago yesterday when It was started by sesing the spray ISap into the air about 300 yards from ub," said Captain Griffiths. "At first I paid no attention to it, thinking a whale was spouting. "; ttTt"-.. ; Hv"' "A few minutes lajer; I sighted smoke on the horizon and through my glasses was able" to see the dim ' b;ut line of a ship about five' miles away, f think she had two funnels. Then there came a second shot. The spray again leaped into the air, this time a little further away from' us. - . v.- "We, were then raaking our.' best possible "speed. , The smoke fnyjtt -jth a f eaxner ecamedafldfet. " W erpf se e -ing it un tllv nearly dark. I suppose she gave chase but decided that it was useless when ight came on." Captain Griffiths told of sighting two other mysterious craft off Bermuda. He said that they- made no move to molest him and that he did not take the time to investigate. Captain Johnson, master of the Brit ish steamer Lady Plymouth, says he was chased -for 36 hours by a mysteri ous craft when about midway of the Atlantic. The pursuer did not get close enough to fire on the Lady Ply mouth, according to Captain Johnson. "Darkness and a storm came on about the same time and we lost the craft after she had been after us for 36 hcurs," the captain is quoted as say ing. Neither of the skippers were able to (Continued on Page Eight.) ETfl BY STORMJS FEARED Wind Reaches Velocity of 58 Miles at Hatteras Gas Boat is Sunk During Gale in Albe marle Sound and the Captain and Mate t Are Believed to Have. Been Drowned. Norfolk, Va., March 3. One of the worst storms of the winter is sweep ing the Virginia capes tonight and there are fears expressed in marine circles that shipping will suffer con siderably. The wind at Cape Hatteras tonight reached a velocity of 58 miles from the northwest and at Cape Henry its highest velocity was -48 miles. The storm was accompanied by a heavy snow fall. At Cape Henry the weather was so thinck the government observer could not distinguish passing ships. The gas boat Sunol, plying between Elizabeth City, Weeksville and Hert ford, N. sunk during the gale in Albemarle sound, ' Captain John Par ker and mate, Barney Newby, are miss ing, and' are believed tp have been drowned.. Captain Parker has a wfe and several children. residing in Eliza beth City. . : THE DAY IN CONGRESS SENATE. , Met at 11 a. m. Defeated legislation to warn Ameri cans off armed ships by a vote of 68 to 14. Resumeddebate on Shields " water power bill. Brandeis hearing continued. Recessed at 5:50 p. m. to noon Satur day HOUSE. Met at noon. Foreign " Affairs committee consider-; ed armed ship warning resolution. Naval affairs committee - reported Haitlen constabulary bill. Foreign Affairs committee voted 17 to 2 to report resolution providing that the McLemore resolution warning Americans off armed ships be tabled and declaring that diplomatic negotia tions should be eonducted by the Presi dent, without congressional Interfer ence.' v v - - . Recessed at 5:05 p. m. to noon Saturday.- . DAMAG SHIPPING way Conductors IN "STRIKE CONSPIRACY" Would Prevent "Carrying Out a Con spiracy, of Threatened Strikes' as Protest Against Use of White Audit System. . Atlanta, Ga., March 3. Suit to enjoin omcers and members of the Order of Railway Conductors from "carrying out a conspiracy of threatened strikes" as protest against the installation by railroads of the White Audit system was filed In United States District court here by counsel for the Audit company, On an agreement by the conductors that no strike would be called before the hearing of the suit. Judge New man set the case for March 11. The suit charges . "threats of strikes and intimidation of . railroad officials on the part of the conductors to boy cott the White Audit system, which is a scheme of checkine- conductors aboard trains. It was said to be an outgrowth of the recently threatened strike of conductors on the Atlantic Ccast Xine railroad. Coast Line offi cials some time ago,, after a conference with the conductors protesting the use of the system, announced that it. would be aoandoned. The White system, the suit declares, is in operation on the Western & At lfvntic railroad and the Nashville, Chat tanooga & St. Louis railroad and at tempts to boycott have been threatened there. - - , Seventeen defendants are named in the action, some of them national offi cefsof the Order of Railway conduc tors. Today's action was the first in timation here that conductors on rail roads other than the Coast Line were seeking to prevent this audit system being employed. . . TEMPORARY INJUNCTION IS UPHELD BY GEORGIA COURT Prevents Negro Order Using Name ObJetc t By..AJ...0. JJ .M-JS...-.; Atlanta, Ga. March 3. The state supreme court today upheld a tem porary injunction granted in Fulton Superior court on behalf of the local Yaarab Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles, of the MystTc Shrine, a Masonic organization, which prevents a negro organization using the name "Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine qZ North and South -America." The case now is to go before a Ful ton county petit jury for decision of the facts in the case. If this decision is favorable to the white organization, its next procedure would be to seek" a permanent injunction.- STEAMER GOES AGROUND The City of Baltimore From Norfolk Has Large Passenger List Newport News, Va., March 3. The Chesapeake Line steamer City of Bal timore, from Norfolk to Baltimore with a large passenger list, went aground on Hampton bar tonight during a blinding snow storm. Despite the high wind, the steamer is reported to be in little danger. The coast guard cutter Onondaga is standing by and two tugs have been ordered from Norfolk. It is believed that the City of Baltimore will be floated at high tide tomorrow. MORS ARE ORGANIZED FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE Eighty Large Cities Represent ed at St. Louis "National Defense Conference of Mayors" to be Permanent Mayor Mltchel and Cornelius Van derbilt Speakers. St. Louis, March 3. A permanent organization of American mayors to promote the cause of National defense was effected here today At "a meeting of mayors and their representatives from 80 large cities. The organization is to be known as the National Defense Conference of. Mayors, Mayor Kiel, of St. Louis, who presided, appointed a committee on . resolutions of 11 men. This committee is to report Saturday afternoon. The principal speakers at today's sessions were Mayor Mitchel, of New York, and Cornelius Vander bilt, of New York. ; General Geprge Harris, of Omaha, speaking at the afternoon session, re ferred to the "authorized nurder of American soldiers during the Spanish American war through negligence." He said' American army officers were hu miliated by the incompetency display ed' in the presence of, the military at taches of foreign nations. ' The principal meeting of the confer ence took place tonight The princi pal speakers were Robert Bacon, for mer Secretary ,of State; Richard L. Metcalfe, of Omaha; Luke E. Wright, former Secretary of "War, and Owen Miller, secretary of the American Fed eration of Musicians, who spoke for- or ganized labor, - . LACK OF OFFICERS SERIOUS HAND CAP Admiral Fletcher Urges In crease in Naval Cadets ONLY LOGICAL REMEDY Says Three Warship Are Prevented Prom Active Duty Because of Not Enough Officers' and Men to Operate Them. Washington, March 3. Only 15 of the 21 battleships of the Atlantic fleet are on active duty in West Indian wa ters, three of the other six being so crippled for lack of officers and men tfcat they cannot operate with the fleet, and the other three either await ing or undergoing extensive repairs. The 15 active ships are short from S to 17 officers each of the number as signed to them by the Navy, Depart ment, and 1,000 coal passers, electri cians, gunner's mates and other train ed enlisted men, although they hava aborad about 100 more men than the total personnel allowed by regulations. This was the situation of the fleet as pictured today by Admiral Fletcher, commander-in-chief, before the House Naval committee. He added that in his opinion. and that of various boards of officers who had studied the sub ject, the battleship squadrons of the active fleet required at least 5,000 ad ditional men over the complements now assigned. The shortage in the" various ratings, he explained,, however, would not materially injure the effi ciency of the fleet were it called upon The lack : of -officers was. 4haro.Qstl serious " aspect, ' Admiral Fletcher ner thought because it requires ten years to train a competent lieutenant or lieutenant commander. Nothing that Congress; .much:': less the Navy Depart ment, can do. can remedy the situation at once;- he added, but -in his opinio: the only ' effective and logical way would be -to increase the Annapolis cadets to 2,000 men and await their development. ; Admiral Fletcher devoted his entire day before the committee to questions of personnel. The conflicting figures as to ships complement presented by the Bureau of Navigation, the General Beard and Admiral Fletcher himself were discussed at length. Chairman Padgett asked the admiral to submit his opinion as to the nunr- ber of officers in higher grades which should be provided for immediately in order to relieve the shortage in that! respect. Admiral Fletcher suggested that in addition to the regular promo tions, two rear admirals be created each year for six years, six captains a year for five years, 15 commanders, a year for five years, and that all lieu tenants should become lieutenant-commanders after eight years' service in the lower grade. About 50 lieutenants would be eligible immediately, he said, under this plan. Representative Roberts asked where Admiral Fletcher ranked the American fleet among the navies-of the world. and was told that it was some place between thir. and fourth, "with a good margin over Japan,' which was nttn. Lacking exact knowledge of the French building programme, Admiral Fletcher said he could not make a closer comparison. MRS. ROWE SAYS JEALOUSY WAS THE CAUSE OF CHARGES Declares Mrs. Eaton Wante to Be come Head ot Welfare Bureau Chicago, March 3. Jealousy was the cause of the split salary charge made by Mrs. Page Wallon Eaton against her superior, Mrs. Louise Osborne Rowe, head of the social welfare bu reau of Chicago, according to Mrs. Rowe's testimony before the civil ser vice commission here today. "Mrs. Eaton is jealous of me and of the good work done by the depart ment," Mrs. Rowe testified. "She want ed my job in the first place. She flat tered me and was over gracious." Indictments against one hundred brewing companies Charged by Federal Grand Jnry With Political Activities Pittsburgh, Ja., March 3. One hun dred and one indictments against 100 brewing companies were unexpectedly returned late today by the Federal Erand jury which has been investigat ing the alleged political activity of brewers. The indictments charge the brewing companies and the association with conspiracy In the alleged unlawful expenditure of money in elections at which votes for Foderela officials were being cast. ; FRENCH REGAIN GROUND Claim to Have Taken Part of Mound in Vicinity of Douaumont. Paris, March 3. The French have occupied part of the mound on the northern slope of which the village of Douaumont is situated and also in counter-attacks against the Germans have regained ground In the immediate vicinity of Douaumont, according to the French official communication made public this evening. The bombardment continues very violent .along the entire v front from the -west of the Meuse, to the Woevra region - v , ' K Four Thousand Persons Were Aboard the Provence When Sunk Feb. 26. 870 ESTIMATED SAVED Loss of 3,000 Lives Would be Greatest Marine Disaster of Modern Times. The Provence Was Transport ing Troops to Saloniki Pg,ris, March 3. It was 'an nounced at the French ministry of marine today that there were nearly 4,000 men on board the French auxiliary cruiser Provence when she was sunk in the Medi terranean on February 26. It waa stated that on board the Provence were the staff of the Third Colon ial Infantry regiment, the Third battalion, the Second company of the First Battalion, the- Second machine gun company and one ex tra company, in all nearly 4,000 men. As the ministry of marine on February 29 announced that the number of survivors of the Pro vence disaster was estimated at 9JM$1 AS.tyjK&.i,cwt .ai i; ;ir ;'tt:iu.xt,j - rr nouncemenf "tliat tip wards of 3,loD lives were lost. Greatest Modern Ocean Disaster The loss of more than 3,000 lives in the sinking of the French auxiliary cruiser Provencei is the greatest ocean disaster of modern times. - Up to the present the largest number of lives ever lost in one wreck was when the White Star liner Titanic struck an iceberg off the New Foundland banks . on April 14, 1912, and sank with a death loss of 1,595. The rescued num bered 143. The French ministry of marine had previously issued no statement as to the number of persons on the Provence when she went, down. The vessel, however, when in the trans-Atlantic service could carry 1,960 persons, in cluding the crew, and it was been pre sumed that, as she was transporting troops between ports not far apart, she was carrying a number of men larger than her normal capacity. The .official statement announcing the sinking of the Provence said: "The French auxiliary cruiser Prov ence II. (so designated to destinguisli her from the French battleship Prov ince), engaged, in transporting troops to Saloniki, was sunk in the Mediter- ranean on February 26. Two hundred and ninety-six survivors have been: brought to Malta, jand about 400 to Melos by French and British patrol vessels summoned by wireless. ANo signs of a submarine were notic ed either before or after the sinking. La Provence was armed with five can non of 14 centimetres, two of 5-7 milli metres and four of 47 millimetres." Other Great Sea Disasters. Among the other great sea disasters, in addition to the Titanic, already men tioned, were: The Cunard Lino steamshiHrx Lusi tania, which was torpedoed, by a-German submarine and sunk off the head pf Kinsale, -Ireland, on May 7, 1915, with the loss of 1,206 lives. The burning of the excursion steam ship General Slocum in the East river. New York, June 15, 1904, when nearly 1,000 persons met their death. '"7 The French Line steamship LaBour ogne, sunk in collision with the steam ship Cromartshire, July 4, 1898, with the loss of 580 lives. The Japanese liner Kipker Maru, sunk Maru, sunk off the coast of Japan", Sep tember 28, 1912, with the loss of 1,000 lives. The Canadian Pacific steamship Em press of Ireland sunk In collision with the Danish collier Storstad in the St. Lawrence river May 29, 1914, with the loss of more than 1,000 lives. The burning of the Uranium Line steamship Volturno in mid-ooean on October 9, 1913,- with the loss of 136 lives. ABK8 932,500 DAMAGES. Steamer Cayo Romano Blames Steame Fert In Collision. Norfolk, Va., March 3. An answer' and cross libel in the action of Societa Anonima Navigazione Alta. Italia owner of the steamer Pert, versus the steamer Cayo Romano, was filed today ir.'the United States district courti in which the master of the Cayo Romano alleges damages at $32,500, placing the blame for the collision upon the Fert. Hughes, Little and Seawell are attor neys for the, defendant. The ships came together off Newport News, Feb ruary 19, 1916. Both were ' anchored and the Cayo Romano in a heavy wind drifted down on the Fert. Following the collision the owners of Fert libelled the Cayo Romano, alleging damages at $ 12,000. The master of the Cayo Ro mano, which anchored first, alleges that the Fert anchored too close to th stern of the former vessel. s -I '-, 4 A'