GERMAN FLEET SUNK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1994, 24 June 1919, Page 2

GERMAN FLEET SUNK.

SCUTTLED BY CUSTODIANS. ONE BATTLESHIP AFLOAT. London, June 21. The German* sailors engaged in attending to (lie upkeep of the interned German feet at Seapa Flow (Orkney Islands) sank most of the ships by opening the sea-cocks, and swam ashore. London, June 21. The Admiralty states that the battleship Baden (?) and four destroyers are still afloat. Three light cruisers and eighteen destroyers were beached by salvaging lugs. Several boats containing escaping German crews refused to stop, and were tired upon by British warships, and a small number of Germans were killed or wounded. FORTY-SIN SHIPS SUNK. London, June 22. The Germans sank forty-six out of seventy-two warships at Seapa Flow, as follows: —Nine out of ten battleships, all live battle cruisers, live out of eight light cruisers, and twenty-seven out of forty-nine destroyers. The total tonnage sunk approximates 400,000 tons, and (he feet was worth seventy millions sterling. The largest vessel was the Dreadnought Bayern (28,000 tons). All the crews concerned were taken in custody. They had been aboard attending the upkeep of the vessels during their internment under 'the terms of the armistice. ALLIED POSSESSION EVADED. London, June 22. The newspapers are aghast at the Seapa Flow .sensation, and demand an inquiry, pointing out that the ships were placed in the custody of the British-Navy as trustee for the Allies. The German ensign was hoisted on all the ships before they were sunk, and (he Baden is now flying the Viliite Ensign over the German fag. The lir-4 warship sank at midday, and the others were settling down till 4.30 in the afternoon, when the last .Dreadnought turned turtle. Several Germans swam to the Island of Caiut, Arrangements had been made to board the ships on Monday in the event of peace being signed, and they would thus have passed into the possession of the Allies. The largest ships were sunk in a depth of 120 feet. The ships which were surrendered on 21st November and taken subsequently to Seapa Flow were; —- Battleships: Friedrich der Grosso (flagship), Konig Albert, Kaiser, Kronpriuz, V ilhelm, Kaiserin, Bavern, Markgraf, Priiiz-Rcgeut Luitpokl, and Grosser Kurfursl. Bat-tle-cruisers; Seydlitz (flagship), Derfflinger, Von dcr Tann, Iliudeiiburg, and Moltke. Light cruisers; Karlsruhe (flagship), Frankfort, Linden, Nuruberg, Drummer, Kohl, and Bremse. Destroyers, Fortvnine of the latest type. NO BRITISH GUARDS WERE ABOARD. London, Juno 22. Ihe Admiralty has announced (hut, according to latest reports from Seapa Flow, all the interned German battleships and battlecruisers were sunk, except the Baden. live light cruisers were sunk, and three beached. The local tugs beached eighteen of the destroyers, and four arc still afloat. A German rear-admiral and most of the Germans from the ships sunk are in custody aboard British warships. In accordance with (he terms of I lie armistice the German ships were interned with skeleton German trcMs as caretakers. There were no British Guards aboard.