PORTUGUESE COUP
THE GERMAN-SHIPS' SEIZURE. "Daily News" Correspondent.) The Portuguese newspapers eulogise the secret and rapid fashion in which the German ships were'scized. .Tust before the Portuguese coup, the Germans held a conference on board one of tho vessels, all the. captains being present, fc'here it was resolved that if tho Portuguese Government persisted in its intentions all possible measures would be taken- to prevent the utilisation of the ships. .' • ;
It appears that the step contemplated was to destroy the machinery, and in tho bigger ships explode the boilers. The sudden swoop on the ships made by Captain Leoti do Rego, accompanied by three destroyers and backed by the warships, was quite unexpected, and to that alone is duo the success of the enterprise. An officer with a group of sailors boarded each vessel—from which nearly all the captains were absent ashore —and within three hours all the German flags had disappeared and been replaced by Portuguese ones. It is said that the captain.of the Santa Ursula' tlirow a German flag across tho entrance where the invading party would have to pass over it; the Portuguese then climbed by a rope and over the side of tho ship. /
Explosions were narrowly avoided on the Billow, a splendid, packet boat, which can bo used ns an auxiliary cruiser, and another ship. The' Germans had piled up the furnaces and boilers, which wore at highest pressure,- with safety-valves closed. ■ The cargoes' are most important, including largo quantities of tow, aniline dyes, motor-cars, and war material, rice, and oiv; one ship.alone over 4000 barrels of cement. .
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2765, 8 May 1916, Page 6
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263PORTUGUESE COUP Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2765, 8 May 1916, Page 6
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