THE TREACHERY AT SCAPA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 235, 30 June 1919, Page 5

THE TREACHERY AT SCAPA

ANOTHER STORY OF] THE GERMAN ;-rV;- :; y TRICK :■ ■ . : : STATEMENT IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT • (By Telegrapli-Presa Assoiiation-Oopyrigiht . (Rec. June 29, p.m.)' . ' London, Juno 24. ; , •'■. The; marine artist to 1 the American , Government, Mr. Gribbli, while cruising round the .German, Fleel on board the trawler Sochosin (LieutenantCommander Leech), wat' aistonished to see the : ships begin to disappear. He i first noticed the sailors if the Friedrich !;.der. Gross and Frankfurt throwing their i baggage into the boats at'headlong speed, i .They then followed thenvsjlves. Ho aski ed Lieutenant-Commundei- Leeth: "Do i you allow theni joy rides?" Lieutenant-Commander | Leoth, looked, hesitated, and exclaimed "By Jove! They're' scuttling and abandoning the ships." . Ho ordered the trermanS to return or he .would 1 fire. The .Germans cried: ''Wi've not got our •,.oars!"; A British sailor threw pars into the water,j exclaiming, "Here you are, you 6wine!". • I The' boats continued tol, approach, in -spite of. a warning. ' The German offi-. cers brazenly and impudently demanded .to be taken-on hoard the Sochosin. As they persisted, Lieutenajit-Commander . Leeth ordered his crew to bpen'fire. ■ A German officer roared J: "You've kill- ■: ed four of my;men!" , ..!■ Lieutenant-Commander leeth replied: "Got back to your ships!", The. iofficer replied: y"We ' can't. They're sinking.". As lib ■ spoke, the Fiiedrich der Grosse turned turtle. . . The Sochosin signalled thi coastguards, requesting. them to wireless the Grand Fleet., llt was two hours Wore the first destroyer arrived. Meanwhile the Ger- - mans daringly endeavoured ltd board the • Sochosin, and the crew were compelled to keep them off with l-evolveri. One after another the' German, vessels listed, turned turtle, and sank. ' The ses w-as dotted with German crews in boata, who cheered each ship as 6he sank. The Hindenburg hoisted the German ensign. Others had two : code flags, at the peak, which Mr.,.Gribble the provions day. had noticed flying on the Emden, the whole fleet'answering. The Seydlitz turned turtle, but remained visible.- The Sochosin kept passing over'sunken vessels, signalling, and sounding'her hooters. They noticed | ■ a number of abandoned' German steam pinnaces from the battleships, deserted, . with lifebelts floating; Apparently the pinnace crews had been' drowned.' Bestroyers, seeing the 'Emden. in. trouble, attempted to take her in tow, but amidst '.' the confusion one vessel collided with and smashed the Emden's ' gangwayi. Ultimately they succeeded in beaching the Emden.—"Tho Times." ' : I

EXPLANATIONS IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

BRITAIN'S, HONOUR UPHELD. : ■. (Rec. June 29, .5.5' p.m.)/- . .. > London, June 24. Speaking* in the House of Commons, ' Mr. George Lambert (Civil Lord of tho , 'Admiralty), in reply to questions,' said . that Admiral von'Renter would havo en- ■ countered no difficulty in,circulating orders to scuttle tho ships, since lie had been allowed to visit them for the purpose of maintaining discipline. When so .doing he was conducted to and from the ships in a British boat!:' Putting . British guards on board the German '. ships would unquestionably Jiave been a breach of tho terms Of. the armistice. . .Britain had acted .as she had acted in . every othfer matter, obeying the terms: of the armistico and adhering to the laws of war and honours-Renter.

"• 'GERMAN WARSHIPS AT KIEL' . 'i ..AFLOAT. ■ , . .. . (Rec..Jnne., 29, 5.5 p,m.) ' \ ■ ;' London,. June 27. '•• The, Admiralty reports that the Ger- . ; man .warships ut. Kiel are .afloat.-Aus.-..Cable Assn. ' Y.. STERN LESSON TO THE ALLIES . SIR. JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED. (Eec. June 29, 5.5 p.m.) London, June 27. Interviewed prior to boarding the M'auretania for New..York, Sir Jo3Sph Ward said that the scuttlings at Scapa Flow , and the burning of tho French flags Should be a- stern lesson to the Allies ■ .that they must zealously watch the fulfumenfc of ©very "undertaking given in '".the Peaoo Treaty,—Aiis.-N.Z. Cable Asn. FRENCH PRESS COMMENT (Rec. June."29, 5.5 p.m.) _ .' Paris, June 27. The Pans Press is commenting on the sinkings at Scapa Flow. _The "Petit Journal" ' recalls that France claimed a'portion of the fleet, .and demands that France receive as com- ' pensation tlie enemy submarines entrusted : to her, also a nuinber of German merchantmen.—Renter.' " • WHAT THE GERMAN PRESS IS ■ .SAYING. ; ' Copenhagen, June 27. Berlin advices* state that the sinkings , are condemned by the 1 Left Press, but praised by the Right. The "Lokal Anzieger" speaW of'"brave men preferring d&oth to dishonour."—Eeuter.