Huns Sink Their Fleet.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 June 1919, Page 5

Huns Sink Their Fleet.

NO' BRITISH GUARDS ABOARD.

LONDOK, June 22,

The Admiralty has andunced that according to the latest reports from Scapa Flow all the interned German battleships and battle cruisers were sunk except toe Baden. Five light cruisers were sunk and three beached. Local tugs beached eighteen destroyers, and four are still afloat.

The German rear-admiral and most of the Germans from the ships sunK are in custody aboard British warships. In accordance with the terms of the armistice, the German ships were interned with skeleton German crews as caretakers. There were no British guards aboard.

THE SHIPS IN SCAPA FLOW. Following i a list of the ships surrendered on November 21, 1918, with the date of completion and the tonnage of each: — BATTLESHIPS (10) Ship_ Tons. Bayern (1916) 28,000 Konig (Oct. 1914) 25,800 Grosser Kurfurst (Oct. 1914) 25,800 Markgraf (Oct. 1914) 25,800 KAmprinz (Feb'. 1-915) ..... 25^00 Kaiser (Dec. 1912) 24,700 Fredric dcr Grosse (Jan. 1913) ‘24,700 Kaiscrin (Aug. 1913) 24,700 Hrinz-Rcgeiit LuSlp'oid (Sep. 1913) 24,700 Konig Albert (Nov. 1913) .. 24,700 Nino of these, including the B’aycrn, have been sunk. BATTLE CRUISERS. (5) Hindenburg (1916) 27,000 Dorfflingcr (July, 1914) .... 26,600 Scydlitz (May, 1913) ........ 25,000 Moltke (1911) 23,000 Von dcr Tann (Sept., 1910) . 19,400 All of these have been sunk. LIGHT CRUISERS (8) Brummer (?) . 4,000 Bremsb' (?) 4,000 Emdcil ‘ (91fi) 5,400 KarlshiVh'e (1916)‘ 5,400

Frankfurt (Sept./' 1915)’ ,; V.' 5\400 Numbers' (l9lfi) v;'..;‘ii'.v '■ 5,400 Koln (1916 ■'?)’■ .Vi;.. . .v. 5,400

Nmno of eighth, cruiser riot’given

Five of those have Been sunk DESTROYERS" (49)

Forty-nine destroyers from the Ist, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th flotillas. Twentyseven have been sunk.

The armistice terms required the surrender of .10 battleships* 6 battle cruisers, and 50 destroyers—a total of 74 ships. Only five battle cruisers, being all that Germany possessed at the time. One destroyer was sunk by a mine while crossing the North Sea to the rendezvous for surrender.

DESCRIPTION Or THE COUP. v ■ LONDON' 1 Juno 22:

The Scapa Flow, coup'was carried out at noon, when many B'ritish ships had put to sea for exercise, the Germans interpreting this as showing that 'the watch was somewhat relaxed. After the German ensign was run up, the crews of the destroyers were seen leaving in small boats, which had been moored astern. When the British vessels were ordered to tire, the Germans still aboard jumped into the sea. Our craft picked up a Steps were taken to intercept swimmers, and none wore allowed to land. All were sent aboard the-Imperious, Victorious, and other ships. Admiral Von Eeuter reached Houton early, and asked the men at the aviation station to rescue German sailors from the water. Some destroyers were beached at Fara, and two light cruisers were beached in Swanbistor Ray. anti one off Cava Island. One of the sunken battleships was discerned from the shore bottom upwards. The battle cruiser Hindonburg sank whilst being towed to the shore. Her funnels and masts are visible. The Emden was beached. One cruiser was saved simply by being cast adrift and allowing the wind to drive her ashore.

GERMAN ADMIRAL’S EXCUSE.

THOUGHT ARMISTICE HAD ENDED.

GRAPHIC STORY OF EYE-WITNESS

NAVAL OPINION: A GOOD

RIDDANCE

Received June 24, 11.55 a.m,. LONDON, June 22. The Admiralty is observing the closest secrecy, and . has forbidden newspaper representatives to enter the Orkneys. X’robably the full story of it will not be revealed - until Tuesday, when emergency questions will be asked in the Commons, The Baden was removed from her anchorage on Sunday and beached; therefore none of the German ships are now afloat, Mr Archibald Hurd says it is understood Admiral Von Reuter states he believed the armistice had terminated, and accepts full responsibility for the

sinking, which is in accordance with ■an order given at a the beginning, of the war, that no German man-of-war should be surrendered. This excuse does not deserve serious consideration.

Eighteen hundred of the crew are now prisoiners. An eye-witness aboard the stecamer on which two hundred Stromess children were enjoying a cruise round the German fleet, tells a graphic story of the sinking. He noticed the enemy crews were unusually quiet. Suddenly a drifter warned the steamer to keep clear from the Gorman ships, which now were a scene of bustle land excitement, the German eagle being run at each masthead. The vessels slowly and noiselessly settled down, and the sailors of the JB'ritish vcsel were as powerless as the children to prevent the disappearance of the fleet.

There was a violent explosion in the morning on the spot where one of the German ships guok. ~A pillar of water and wreckage rose several hundred feet. A similar explosion took place in the hull of a partially submerged destroyer, which immoldialtely heeled over and disappeared, <

Naval authorities found Von Eeuter’s orders of a recent date for the sinking of ships.

Six Germans were killed and ten wounded while attempting to escape when ordered to stop. None of the navigable channels of Scapa Flow were blocked. It is a question whether salvage operations would justify the expense. Naval writers regard the scuttling as a good riddance, as the vessels were verj l - neglected, and their distribution would have proved an embarrassment, and their maintenance involve a heavy expenditure v including the manufac-x ture of "special type of guns, torpedoes, and ammunition.

It is unlikely that the scuttling 1 plot was hatched at Weimar, as it will only embarrass the now Government.