The Royal Mail S. S. _Cumberland_, from Glasgow for New York, steamed
down the Firth of Clyde in a soft, Scottish rain; outside, off the
northern coast of Ireland, there was fog. Showers on that first day at
sea sometimes thinned it to a mist; but throughout the second day the
foghorn of the _Cumberland_ blew its long blast every two minutes; and
from ahead, abeam, and astern answering bellows from steam whistles
warned the passing of other ships lost behind the thick fog curtains and
enforced the need for half speed day and night, and less when vessels
blundered in close.
Then the ships bound westward on the same course, and the passing
vessels, eastbound, spread farther and farther apart, and were separated
by a safer distance; but still on that steamship lane across the North
Atlantic, fog shrouded the sea; as far ahead as the Grand Banks--so
ships sent word by the wireless--the ocean was gray and greasy with fog.
And, in the perverse manner which the elements have when men must count
upon their fairness, the sea and sky were clear during those days and
nights upon the course of steamers for New York out of the English
Channel and steering from the south of Ireland. By the second night,
therefore, the Southampton liner _Corinthian_ had made up half of the
advantage of the _Cumberland’s_ earlier start from the Scottish port. As
the steamship lanes drew closer and closer together in mid-Atlantic, the
two ships came within easy wireless communication.
So Mr. Andy Farnham read the following on the bulletin board as he came
up from breakfast to go on deck on the third day at sea:
NEW BULLETIN FOR FIRST-CABIN PASSENGERS.
As previously announced, wireless communication has been established
with R. M. S. _Corinthian_ from Southampton. It will be of interest to
know that the officers of the _Corinthian_ definitely have identified
the young woman, suspected since sailing of being Roberta Leigh, as
being, indeed, the violent American suffragist who is wanted by the
English police for criminal participation in the destruction of many
public buildings in England, including the government armory at
Stoketon. The intelligence has been sent by wireless to England. The
crown officers have congratulated the captain of the _Corinthian_ for
his valuable service. The knowledge that she had been recognized has not
been communicated to Miss Leigh; but she is being held under strict
surveillance till she will be handed over to the proper representative
of the crown at New York.
The _Corinthian_ has found very favorable weather, and is now commanded
to make all possible haste in order that Miss Leigh may be returned to
England by the S. S. _Mauretania_, sailing Saturday from New York, and
immediately be brought to answer for her crimes before an English court.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account