SUSPICIOUS SHIP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2836, 29 July 1916, Page 11

SUSPICIOUS SHIP

YfAS SHE CARRYING COAL FOE THE DRESDEN? Ia tlio Prize Court recently the Crown asked for tlio condemnation as- prize of war of the Bangor, a vessel which, it was said, was used to coal tlio German raider Dresden, which, escaped after tho Falkland Islands battle, and was sunk off Juan Eernandez. ■ The Attorney-General, Sir P.'E. Smith, decjared that this was an extremely aggravated rase of neutral service, complicated by almost every conceivable, kind of irregularity and impropriety. The vessel, he submitted,' was cither specially chartered by friends in Germany anil America to toko coal to tlio Dresden, or else, in response to orders received by wireless, to supply any other . German vessel. ■ The Bangor left Copenhagen for New .York after tho. outbreak of war. She took 011 board at Baltimore at. tho end. of January 6895 tons of coal and 1271 tons of bunkers, 50 ton.?'of stores, principally tinned fruit,. and 10 rases of "electric Vciil\" The goods wero consigned to Buenos Aires-firms. Before the Bangor loft Baltimore slid received a significant accession, to her complement, viz., a purser, named Wielmetter, an electrician, and an undor-steward. Weilmetter, in an. affidavit, stated lie understood that wireless was to be installed and- messages received through it, and messages were actually received at night asking the position of the ship for any German vessel looking, for her. The eodo for wireless messages in use on German ships was employed on tlio Baiigor, ami, said Weil wetter, "I destroyed the codes by throwing them overboard after, canturo by 11.M.5. Bristol." Ered Hansen, master of the Bangor, examined, declared lie was in territorial waters in the Straits of Magellan when lie was captured. • The Attorney-General (to the captain): Why did you take tlio wireless out of the cargo and use it?—l ought not to have touched it. I wanted to use it for experimental, purposes. I wanted to know how to handle wireless. Judgment was reserved.