Sealed Orders

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 April 1915, Page 3

Sealed Orders

GERMAN METHODS JiXi'LAiNEL)

London, April. 4

The Now York correspondent 0! tlie limes says that proof that the German merchantmen, were prepared for all outbreak of war some years ago is shown in the suits now being tried at Boston against tho Ivronprinzessin Cecilie. Captain l'olack testified that when he took over the vessel m 1912 Ho received from the former captain a sealed eii\ elope with instructions not to open it until he got a. message telling of illness and signed Siegfried. On the night of July 31, when the Kronprinzessin Cecilie was 1000 miles from Plymouth, a wireless message was received. Tl was as follows: Eberhardt suffered attack catarrh bladder. Siegfried." Capt. Polack opened the envelope which had been entrusted to him, and found that it contained a code. He deciphered the message by means of a code, and found that it road:—"War broken out with England. France and Russia." Later he received a message from the German Admiralty, saying: "War only threatened. Do not touch at any port in France, England, or Russia

It would be interesting to know whether it was a message of this kind which sent the Soydlit7. and the Elsass away from Sydney so hurriedly on the eve of the outbreak of war.