ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

THE GERMAN WOLF. HER PROWLING EXTOLLED. London, Fell. 2ii. According to telegrams from Amsterdam, lierlin ollicially announces that the auxiliary cruiser Wolf, roiumsinded by Captain Xerger, lias returned from the Allunlic, Indian ami Pacific Oceans with ; UIO members of the crews of sunko. .•hips,lneluding white and colored British military forces, also several captured guns and greai quantities nf valuable raw materials, including rubber, copper, brass, /.in-, cocoa beans, and copra, worth many milii'iiis of marks. After capture the Tiirritella was equipped as an auxiliary cruiser and opera tei>. in Hie Gulf of Aden, commanded by the V. oil's first officer, until she encountered tire British, who took prisoner the crew of 27. Germany is enthusiastic over the Wolf's achicu'iuciils. ' The, vessel tried several time, to re!urn by the North Sea, but the watchfulness of the British ships prevented her. Finallv she reached port. THE ICOTZMENDI. AUSTRALASIAN 1 MEDICOS INTERNED. Received February 27, 0 p.m. e London, Feb. 20. Th* Tgotzmendi, tho Spanish steamer captured by the raider Wolf and utilised to convey the passengers and crews of sunken vessels to Germany, stranded north of Jutland. A nnmboi of Australians and two New Zealand army medical officers were landed from the. Igotamendi. ' The medical officers were interned. Australian Cable Association. Received February 27. 11.f.0 p.m. Loudon, Feb. 27. Four hundred have been landed from the Ibotemendi, DETAILS OF THE VOYAGE. A. and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuler. Received Fcbruarv 27, 10.30 p.m. London, Feb. 2fi. The Igotzmendi was en route to Australia with 1000 tons of coal.' On May .21, when in the Indian Ocean, she sighted a large steamer, which on approaching, removed her bulwarks disclosing a number of guns. The vessel, which proved to he the Wolf, fired several shots at the Igotzmendi, which was stopped and captured. The homeward voyage commenced in November round Cape. The Wolf sank a sailing vessel by gunfire and then sailed northward, intendinc to go north nf Iceland. Ice proven led the Wolf, which sailed southwards. The rgotzmendi went north of Iceland and prisoners state that their treatment aboard was fairly good, excepting that vermin and lacl. ol clothing caused discomfort and that scurvy and beriberi also broke out. THE PRISONERS Received February 27, fl p.m. Copenhagen, Feb. 2(5. The Igotzmendi is aground near the Skaw. She carried a crew of forty Spaniards, beside the original passengers, the Germnap rize crew and forty prisoners. The latter represent the crews of ten vessels sunk by the Wolf and include English, Australians. New Zealandera. Americans, Chinese and Japanese and Scandinavians. Lighthouse keepers brouaht forty prisoners ashore. The Germans thus far have refused to leave the steamer, which is hard aground and probably cannot be floated. The German subcommandor came ashore and was interned despite angry protests. According to the sailors, the Wolf captured the Igotzmendi in the Indian Gulf two months ago, and placed a prize crew aboard her. Since then the Igotzmendi has followed the Wolf, assisting at all the maraudings. Nobody was allowed to leave the vessel during the ffhole period. HOW THE VICTIMS FARED. THE WOLF OFF AUSTRALIA. Received February 2S, 12.35 a.m. London, Feb. 27. The Wolf's next victim, after captured the Igotzmendi, was the Matunga, with a valuable cargo. The British crew were taken aboard ihe Wolf and apparently treated well. The three ships then proceeded to a desolate Dutch isIr.rd, whore part of the Matunga's cargo wrc stored. but \he nwit valuable part was put into the vVoif. The Germans then sank the Matunga Vith a bomb. The next victims were the Beluga and the Hitachimarn. the bitter's crew being Asiatics. The Wolf being overcrowded, a number' ,nf prisoners were transferred to the Iffotznieiidi. A nrize crew was also placed on the Hitachi Maru and ordered to capture a coal steamer, but did not succeed in doing so" On her return the Wolf sank tin''Hitachi Maru. The Wolf was now near U\o coast of Australia mkl the captain decided to return to Germany. THE MATUNGA'S PASSENGERS. Received Feb. 27, 11.50 p m. Sydney, Feb. 27. The Matunga, one of Wolf's victims, Was voyaging from Sydney to Rabaul, and carried as passengers Colonel Strangman, chief of the medical service at Rabaul, Major Flood and his wife, and 17 others, mostly members of the Australian tropical force who were returning from leave. The crew totalled 43. CRUISER SUBMARINES. ! . A NUMBER SUNK. London, Feb. 20. Mr. Archibald Ilurd writes: "We have sunk more than a few of the German cruiser submarines. Each represents a severe loss to Germany, owing to their size and Gie extended period required to build them. They are driven on the surface by steam, giving a speed of 18 knots, and equipped with- telescopic funnels vhieh disappear into the hull before submersion. They are armed witr 5.9 in. guns. It is doubtful whether their higher surface speed and increased gunpower compensate for the necessary corollary, a hugher target, and slower submergence.