SINKING OF THE EMDEN

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 126, 25 February 1928, Page 9

SINKING OF THE EMDEN

GERMAN NAVAL OFFICER’S FANTASTIC STORY CHARACTERISED AS BITTER AND LIBELLOUS AN OLD LIE REPEATED In a book published by a German naval officer dealing with the voyage of the cruiser Emden, certain statements are made which are characterised ns bitter and libellous. The author also repeats the old story that he personally saw ammunition being loaded on board hospital ships. BY Telegraph.—Press association. Copyright. (Rec. February 25, 7.30 p.m.) London, February 24. Prince Franz Joseph, who was second torpedo officer on the German cruiser Emden, has published a book entitled “The Emden.” The book contains allegations whicn the “Daily Express” characterises as bitter and libellous, and asks why the Nurse Cavell picture should be banned when the British are asked to read such libels. With regard to the sinking, of the German ship, the Prince denies that von Muller surrendered, though he admits the Emden’s ensign was hauled down and the white flag run np. With Teutonic logic, he explains: “One can only surrender with weapons.' As the ship was a wreck and all her weapons destroyed, there could be no talk of surrender. The flag was hauled down because the shin was a wreck and had no longer any right to flv it and further bloodshed was not justifiable. While running upon the reef the flag was forgotten. It did not occur to anyone that the flag at the maintop of the wreck would be taken as a reason for resuming the bombardment.” Detailing his imprisonment at Malta, Prince Franz Joseph alleges that the crew of the Breslau were cheated , out of their food allowance by British soldiers and monev remittances were falsified to the disadvantage of the Germans. The Prince savs that 150 men of the Emden with .850 others spent three boneless vears in Fort Salvatore, shut in by hi"h walls without room to exercise, enduring a martvrdom to which the number of cases of madness or attempted suicide hear witness. The Prince repeats the old story that he saw ammunition boxes being loaded into hospital ships. A note in the Prince’s hook states that von Muller was a foe so. worthy that the British Government wished to honour him after the war There were, however, difficulties in the wav. The English publisher explains that, the proposed honour was the Distinguished Service Order. The ’’Dailv Chronicle” drew the Admiralty’s attention to the statement, and an Admiralty official said the amazing statement cannot he credited, while the Foreign Office gives it a categorical denial.