WATCHING THE KAISER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 17 February 1915, Page 7

WATCHING THE KAISER.

ORIENT COMMANDER'S STORY. An entertaining encounter between Commander Jenks, of the Osterley, which arrived at Sydney last week, and the German admiral of the port of Kiel, is recalled by the. former by the destruction of thq Blucher in the North Sea. In August. 1011, says :i Sydney journal, Commander Jenks took "the 'Otranto to Kiel. A mistake was made about the time of arrival, and instead of' the Otranto taking her moorings at six o'clock i n the evening, when the Royal party would have left the Kaiser's yacht Hohenzollorn, she put in an appearance twelve hours earlier. The pilot, came aboard and told Commander Jenks the mooring allotted to his shiD'Wns right under the stern of the Kaiser's yacht. At first he thought there must be some mistake, but afterwards he came to the conclusion that a delicate compliment was intended. He let it go at that, and took his 1 moorings. . - Not one hundred yards away lay the Royal yacht, and on the upper deck was the Kaiser, surrounded by life suite? and accompanied by the late Crown Prince of Austria, and the members of several other royal families. It was a brilliant scene uniquely viewed. The passengers of the Otranto. revelling in an unprecedented occasion, crowded on tlio decks, nnd watched the movements of the personages en the yacht, whose, every feature was.clearly discernible. Commander Jenks took in the scene and' then went to turn in. for he had been uo all night. He had just rot his coat off when the "rrival nf'an officer was announced: ami thinking Jt was merely a port official, he invited him ,to the cabin and came fenverd, cnatlcss, wishing his visitor '"Good morning " There was no return greeting from the German -naval officer., who with stern mien, and severe tones, said peremptorily. "T am commanded by the Admoral of the Pert to order your to shift your moorings." His' lack of courtesv riled Commander „Jenks, who asked the reason for inorder. "The admiral gave no reasons." the nnval officer returned stiffly. "The admiral erders that you shift moorings." "And "to what moorings' am I to shift..?" Comniinder Jenks asked. Tlie officer drew himself up. "Tint does- not' concern- the admiral," he said. "Vou en- shift to ilie devil if vou like." "Oh, can I?" said Commander Jenks. ''Well, vou go back and tell your adwiraj that I won't shift at all'until lie gives me proper reasons for the order." As soon as the indignant officer had left. Commander Jenks sent, for his ch>f rag;ncer. and told him he had better fix lip a breakdown in the engine-rncm. and related the incident, The chief engineer winked and left. About an hour later th ; . naval officer •oturned. accomnanied bv one of f r M , higher rank. "You must fcik" vour ship from these moorings at once," the latter said.

I am vprv porrvv" ph.-M Commander •Tenks. "But I ciinnor. My engines arc bfinar repaired, and besides thorp is a fresh breeze, and you have put me alongside the wall of .the arsenal. It would bejlangorous eve r if T 1, a ,l mv engines." The Admiral has „o concern ' with that." he replied. "You mijst move at once." Then." said Commander .Tents, "yon must move me yourselves. You put'me hero, and T shall take no risk." The officers departed, after a look that seemed to say, "We'll shift you with a Gin. shell." Commander .Tenks then sent a message to the British Consul, and went on deck to enjoy the spectacle of the BovM vaoht and the Squadron of Dreadnoughts lying around her. Onlv a little distance away was the. Blucher. then one of the latest additions to the fleet. She looked powerful and imposing. When the Consul came on board bo showed «re[it conc-rn, and said to Com mender .Tenks. "Yoii had hette'r do as they tell vou. You don't know these people. They are very autocratic, and Will fine your ship and even imprison you.' ' Jj.it O-ouander Jc.ks would not hud"-'. "I 11 see it out." he said Later in the dav tl„. naval oflicers re turned. "Tin. .Admiral's compliments " hey said. "H,. desires us to inform vou that vou may stay hero." "Thank vou for nothing." was commander .look's answer, as he .r flv ,. hack a 1-Ul.. of what ho I,„d w t. And so in nroud defiance of (he German Admiralty, and Perhaps oven Hikaiser, the Otranio's d-eks continued ,'„ '"; . '""„ ''''rr. eM '- " f " «"'«tr,. for whioh.tbo Kaiser's vaoht: was the sta-'e Willi fre<|ueutlv fahitiii" guns for roval •vmvulx and departures, as an orchestra. li was the time of the Moroccan crisis nod Comniand-r Jonks witnessed the arinal of (1... Chancellor to interview the Kaxer. Uhon the former came on the vaoht. tile whole of (|„, forward ,1.,-k was cleared, and Kaiser and Chancellor man-hod up and down in ■.arnest, ",.„.,. clave for over an hour "We could see every gesture, every ehamre „f ~M ), .,. 5. s.on.-' Captain Jonks said. 'The Chancellor did not seem to sav much. The Kaiser was ];iyu,tr down flic law. Kvrnnow and the,, ho would stop, and stand- )"■-' '» front of (he Chancellor, would elk with out-thrust chin and head while he punctuated what h.fwas saving l.y driving „„„ ~,1 U. ,,,,(1, (I fw , '.he palm of Ins hand."