, ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State , ▁ad vised ▁Ro ose vel t ▁not ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁Jews . ▁Captain ▁Sch r öder ▁considered ▁running ▁a ground ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁refuge es ▁to ▁escape ▁but , ▁acting ▁on ▁Cord ell ▁H ull ' s ▁instructions , ▁United ▁States ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁vessels ▁shadow ed ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁prevent ed ▁such ▁action . ▁▁ ▁After ▁St . ▁Louis ▁was ▁turned ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁academ ics ▁and ▁cler gy ▁in ▁Canada ▁tried ▁to ▁persu ade ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁William ▁Lyon ▁Mack en zie ▁King ▁to ▁provide ▁san ctu ary ▁to ▁the ▁passengers . ▁The ▁ship ▁could ▁reach ▁Hal if ax , ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁in ▁two ▁days . ▁The ▁director ▁of ▁Canada ' s ▁Im m igration ▁Branch , ▁Frederick ▁Bla ir , ▁was ▁host ile ▁to ▁Jewish ▁imm igration ▁and ▁persu aded ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁government ▁on ▁June ▁ 9 ▁not ▁to ▁interven e . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Bla ir ' s ▁nep hew ▁apolog ized ▁to ▁the ▁Jewish ▁people ▁for ▁his ▁uncle ' s ▁action . ▁▁▁ ▁As ▁Captain ▁Sch r öder ▁negoti ated ▁and ▁sch emed ▁to ▁find ▁passengers ▁a ▁haven , ▁conditions ▁on ▁the ▁ship ▁decl ined . ▁At ▁one ▁point ▁he ▁made ▁plans ▁to ▁w reck ▁the ▁ship ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁coast ▁to ▁force ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁take ▁in ▁the ▁passengers ▁as ▁refuge es . ▁He ▁refused ▁to ▁return ▁the ▁ship ▁to ▁Germany ▁until ▁all ▁the ▁passengers ▁had ▁been ▁given ▁entry