On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 81, 9 April 1915, Page 5

On the Sea

THE BLOCKADE. GERMAN SUBMARINES FOR THE | ADRIATIC. (Received 8.45 a.m.) I Rome, April 8. 1 Germany has sent three additional 'large submarines in sections to Pola. RUSSIANS AT THE BOS'PHORUS. SUCCESSFUL MINE-LAYINC OPERATIONS. (Received 9.20 a.m.) London, April 8. L'etrograd states that the minedayino; operations in the Bosphorus resulted in seven Turkish gunboats being sunk and two cruisers being seri'ously damaged. PRINZ EiTEL FREDERICK. INTERNED IN NEW YORK HARBOR. New York, April 8. Alter several weeks of repairing coating, and re-painting, while the 'captain and crew were entertained and feted, the Prinz Eitel Frederich has now decided to intern. Until the last moment the "captain maintained that he intended to face the British cruisers outside, claiming that German cruisers were crossing ( the Atlantic to drive off the enemy. BOARDED BY THE GERMANS.

The voyage of Norwegian barque Apollo from Frederikstad to Adelaide was made memorable because on January 26, in the South Atlantic Ocean, the vessel was stopped by the German merchant cruiser Prim: Eitel Frederich and overhauled . Captain Thoraasseii said the cruiser was sighted at about 7 o'clock in the morning in latitude 33 south, longitude 32 west. "I though it would be a British steamer," he said, "and put up signals asking to be reported, f was subsequently astonished to find, on looking through the telescope, that the stranger was signalling us to heave to. We did so, and a boat, with two German officers and eight men, armed to the teeth, put off and came alongside. The officers boarded the Apollo, came down the cabin, and searched through my papers. They were particularly anxious to ascertain whether there were any British sailors on board, and they seemed disappointed when a negative reply »'as given. Then they asked mo to open the hatches. This demand I refused, but T showed them the holds through the hatchway in the cabin, and satisfied the officers that the only cargo on the ship was timber. 1 was asked for information regarding the war. but explained that we had left Norway in November, and had had no news since. The German officers informed me that the Suez Canal had been taken by the Turks, and that the Germans everywhere were having victories." "How were you treated?" "The officers were courteous. They were on board the ship for three-quar-ters of an hour. During that time the Prinz Eitel Frederich was standing by. Her name had been painted out, but with the aid of a telescope I could read the old raised letters. There were a large number of people on board. The steamer herself seemed in very light trim, and appeared somewhat short of coal."

THE FALABA INCIDENT.

GRUSHINC REPLY TO GERMAN STATEMENTS. United Press Association. (Received 12.10 p.m.) London, April 8. The Press Bureau lias issued a crushing reply to the German denials that they murdered the Falaba's passengers, and says: "It is not true that sufficient time was given the passengers and crew to escape. The submarine fired ut short range, making for great loss of life. absolutely certain that the conduct of all on board the Falaba was excellent."

WATCHED BY WARSHIPS. "Go ahead, and don't worry; we are within call." This was the message received by Captain Stevens, of the steamer Alaitai, which arrived at Sydney on the 31st ult., when he reached Papeete on the voyage from Australia to the American coast. It was from the commander of a Japanese warship which had left port two days before the arrival of the Maitai. The latter reached San Francisco two days late, owing, partly, to bad weather. The assurance that help was near gave confidence to the .Maitai's captain and officers, as they knew that their coal and provisions would he welcome to the two German vessels then hovering in Pacific waters.

h'ive .Japanese warships were scouting over flic wide spaces of the Pacific lor the German cruiser Dresden and the armed merchantman Prinz Eitel bYederieh. The Japanese vessels called at different ports on the South Pacific from time to time, reassured the inhabitants of their proximity, aiul then stole oil' again on their search. When I he Japanese cruisers (appealed off Papeete, the entire population took to the hills, ami di I not return for several hours after tri'e warship had anchored. Passengers (/ I lie \latai did tint

know of the possible danger from the German vessels. NORTH SEA RISKS. For Four days previous to the North Sea light, in which Sir David IScatty drove a raiding squadron hack to :ts base, with severe- loss. Sir John JelUeoe had an anxious time. It has since transpired that dining this period the Germans were excessively busy spreading a screen of mines broadcast in the North Sea. The destroyers attacicd to the Grand Fleet were immediately despatched., with a strong contingent of trawlers, to destroy the menace, and the work was only just completed when the German squadron made its appearance. An officer present with the flotilla, writing to a friend in Sydney, says :—"All the morning ships were blazing away at the pests. Some exploded, but the majority were of faulty construction, and sank. I do not know how many were destroyed, hut there were quite enough to prove what a miraculous thing it was that the- fleet had escaped disaster in the night. We fully expected that the enemy would have delivered a destroyer attack during the following night, but for some reason best known to themselves they refrained from doing that which, from a naval point of view, they should have done. They certainly do not seem to possess the initiative and dash which we expected of them. The following day we were still engaged in destroying mines, though not so many as on the previous day; still, we must have passed unpleasantly close to some during the night.".' ■