SOUVENIRS FROM SUNKEN FLEET

Evening Star, Issue 20060, 28 December 1928, Page 13

SOUVENIRS FROM SUNKEN FLEET

CHOCOLATE AND WINE AFTER NINE YEARS. After lying at (lie but turn of (he sea for over nine years, bars of chocolate have been found to be eatable, and bottles of wine in, excellent condition. They formed part of tho .supplies of the German warship Moltke, scuttled | with a score of other battle cruisers in Sea pa Flow in Juno, 1919. The Moltke was the first of the Heel, to be salved by Messrs Cox and Mantes, of London, who have since succeeded in raising, keel upwards, the Soydlitz. BAND’S INSTRUMENTS. Many of the interesting " finds ” in the Moltke have been given away as souvenirs, including the instruments of tho ship’s band. The loiters of tho ship’s nameplate were found among the debris. They have been assembled, mounted on a board, and presented to Admiral Superintendent Cameron In a little green plot opposite the Admiralty Office at Rosyth the mounted nameplate finds a place among other war relics, including the steam whistle from the Hindenburg, one of the ships yet to he salved. The Moltke’s crockery was found (o bo almost intact. There have been many inquiries for cup, saucer, and plate souvenirs. One of the recipients was Viscount Jcllicoe. The ship had evidently a good “ cellar." Consignments of various kinds of wins, with an occasional bottle of hock, were found on the “ loofs, 1 ' and they seemed lo have lost nothing in quality. £2,000 IN CASH. Other articles of treasure trove were bars of chocolate, in n wonderful state of preservation, some of them eatable; bundles of picture postcards of the Moltke in her wartime majesty, and the vessel’s flags, one of them bearing the German naval ensign, and another an Iron Cross. The appearance of the paymaster’s safe suggested that when the seacocks were opened and the ship began to scuttle the crow made a hurried departure. • At any rate, they left behind a sum of £2,000, mostly in German marks, but there was in addition some British money, mostly shillings. When The Heydlitz has been towed to Kbsyth the salvage firm will tackle the vessels Kaiser and Hindenburg.