BRITISH SAILORS IN GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1919, Page 6

BRITISH SAILORS IN GERMANY.

THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. AERCULES. ALLI,EB| NAVAL COMMISSION. London, Jan. 30. The Times has received the following account of the Allied Naval Commission in German Waters by an officer who accompanied the Commission: — There have been a number of events in connection with the ringing down of the final curtain in the drama of the lute war which have been fittingly characterised as unique and unprecedented, but none of them has been more entitled to be so described than the voyage of H.M.S. Hercules, with the Allied Naval Commission to German Waters of the North Sea and the Baltic, to arrange for the carrying out of the terms imposed under the armistice. • At the time Admiral Mcurer came across in the Konigsberg to arrange the preliminaries of the surrender of the warships demanded from Germany it was thought that the oniy practicable way to reacli and inspect the German sea forts, shipbuilding plants, and air and naval stations was to go to them overland from the Westerlf front. This plan presented a' number of" obstacles (notably on the score of victualling and communications) which might well have proved insurmountable, even had the state of the country been such as to have the free and expeditious passage of trains and motors, and ViccAdmiral Browning, immediately his appointment as head of the mission was announced, decided to cut the Gordian knot by proceeding direct to the principal points to be visited in his own flagship. To one not conversant with the chastened Hun, this deliberate walking into the tiger's don might have looked like asking for inevitable trouble; in fact, however, almost the only risk was the by no means negligible one of navigating in chanels through half-swept minefields and along coasts where warquenched lights and marking buoys are still far from being completely restored. This risk remained a constant worry to the last, and was no whit mitigated by the news of the loss of H.M.S. Cassandra by striking a mine in the Baltic, by one or two collisions with anti-sub-marine nets on the part of the escorting destroyers, and by the Hercules herself striking some submerged object solid enough to knock off part of a propeller blade.

The completion of the really colossal task of the Commission in well under three weeks—it migh't have dragged out interminably had an endeavor been made to go about by land—is the best vindication of Admiral Browning's decision to tackle the problem confronting him in the simple, direct way that the Navy always chooses when it is unhampered iii the making of its plans.

THE MEMBERS OF THE 4 COMMISSION. The members and staff of the Commission throughout consisted of the best men available for the work in hand in the five Allied countries represented. Vice-Admiral Sir Montague Browning, K.C.8., M.V.0., was admitted throughout the Navy as being possessed of outstanding qualifications for handling negotiations which, in their unique complexities, were in a class by themselves among the peace preliminaries. The rare combination of firmness and tact with which he met the interminable objections, obstructions, and evasions' of the German delegates—men picked especially for their ability in that character of negotiations—was responsible for the fact that the Commission was ultimately able to induce the Germans to find ways and means for completely fulfilling many points of the armistice which they had at first flatly declared themselves powerless to carry out. Rear-Adrairal Grasset represented France at the conferences, Rear-Admiral Robinson the United States, Captain Nakamura, Japan, and Lieutenant-Com-mander Gulli, Italy. The technical experts were entirely British and American, numbering among them several of the most notable authorities of both countries in their respective lines. Bfi-;jadier-Genenal Masterman, C.8.E., R.A.F., was one of the pioneers of British airship construction, having been a pilot of the ill-fated Mayfly. Commander W. G. Childs, U.S.A., 'has been equally in the forefront of lighter-than-air flying machine work in America. Colonel Clark-Hall, D.5.0., R.A.F., who has been active in the development of the flying branch of the British Navy, was the senior officer of the Sub-Commis-sion which had the inspection of seaplane stations in hand. Flag-Command-er Tottenham, R.N., of Admiral Browning's staff, headed the Sub-Commission inspecting forts and warships, Commander H. F. Leary, U.S.A., one of the foremost American experts on naval gunnery, co-operating with him. Lieuten-ant-Commander John G. Bower, R.N., who has done notable work in E-boats and K-boats during the war, was the submarine officer.

The Shipping Board, which had in hand the restoration of the British merchant ships interned in German ports, was headed by Commodore George P. Bevan, C.M.G., R.N., Naval Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, who has recently been engaged in getting British merchant ships home from Russian Baltic ports. Commander Leighton. D.5.0., R.N.R., who lias also greatly distinguished himself in freeing British shipping. in the Baltic, had personal charge ofjhc inspection of ships in German ports. Mr. Percy Turner, Secretary to the Minister of Shipping, and member of a wellknown shipbuilding firm, was the third -member of the Shipping Board, FROM THE FORTH TO HELIGOLAND. The Hercules, flying the flags of one Vice-Admiral and two Rear-Admirals at j-her fore, and accompanied by four "V" (■class destroyers—-the Verdun, Viceroy. Vidette, and Ven'etia—got under way at 1 JO o'clock in the morning of December 3, steaming down the Firth of Forth in a fog so thick that it was barely possible to discern Die anchored lines of warships below the bridge. Visibility cleared somewhat outside, and by the morning of the 4th a good view was obtained of a somewhat mixed line of German ships on their way to Seapa to make up a deficiency in the delivery agreed upon. The motley assortment consisted of the battleship Konig, the light cruiser Dresden, a destroyer, and two transports, easily recognisable as of the Norddeut-seher-Lloyd type. Five or six floating mines passed that morning bore ominous evidence of the approach to the lines of anchored explosives that have given Germany's coasts such complete protection from sea attack during the war. Delayed by the. fog, the cruiser Regensburg, which was to have been at a prearranged rendezvous at 9 o'clock, was four hours late in bringing a German gllot to lj«vigft*» 'Uib Haroules through

the minefield channels, but there was no untoward consequence of pushing on by chart almost to within sight of the cliffs of Heligoland. No time was gained, however, for by nightfall the fog had become so dense that the Hercules had to anchor not far from the Outer Jade Lightship. 'Vhe pilot party, which was made up of a commander of the German Navy, a warrant officer, and a merchant pilot, appeared a good deal divided against itself, but between them they managed to bring her to anchorage a mile or so off Wilhelmshaven dockyard just after midday. Several merchantmen passed on the way, and dipped their flags as they passed. A return dip from the Hercules and destroyers completed, what was probably the first exchange of that courtesy since August, 1914. *

CAPTAIN VON MITLLER, OP THE EMDEM. A picket-boat, flying the Imperial Naval Ensign of Germany, came alongside a*half-hour after the Hercules had anchored, and the short, heavy-set officer, who was first up the gangway turned out to be Goette, who headed the German Commission which met that of the Allies at both Wilhelmshaven and Kiel. Admiral Goette appears to have been the spnior German naval officer remaining at, his duties, von Scheer and von Hipper having disappeared into the same obscurity which hides Ludendorff and the other ex-lead-ers, who have sought safety in flight oj "retirement." A notable member of the German Commission was Captain von Muller,.of the first ftmden, whom the Germans doubtless appointed on the strength of the tributes paid in the British Press to his "sportsmanship" at the time his ship was beaten by the Sydney. Unfortunately, the identity of Captain von Muller was not definitely known to the Allied Commission until after the final conference was over at Kiel. There were a number of terms of the armistice which Admiral Goette or his advisers, when first they were seated at the long table in Admiral Browning's cabin, declared they were absolutely incapable of fulfilling, but one by one these were reduced as the inflexible purpose of the Allied Commission brought home to them the utter futility of tactics even remotely bordering on bluff. So expeditiously did things move then that the first Sub-Commission for the inspection of warships landed, and weVit to work in the dockyards that afternoon. The filth and lack of discipline, which were later found to be characteristic of every German warship remaining, were very much in evidence'in the first one visited. Here some scores of sailors slouching indoletnly about the decks (in direct contravention to the terms of the armistice, which held that all. ships and air stations inspected should be cleared of men) threatened to impede materially the work 6f search.

DRASTIC BRITISH ACTION. The drastic action taken by the officer in charge of the party on this occasion not only put an end to the difficulty on this particular ship, but also effectually prevented its recurrence on any other. Turning to the captain of the ship, the British officer informed him that unless all the sailors were out of the way at once he would return to the Hercules and report that he had been obstructed in his work. Although the German captain had no apparent authority with his men, the latter were themselves too fearful of posßule consequences to venture opposition. Five minutes later the last of them had shoved off to join the knots of his sullenly scowling mates on the dock. It was in this ship that one of the' Sub-Commission reported having seen the German captain helping a white-banded petty officer ou with his overcoat.

The search of warships continued the following day, and parties were also dispatched for the inspection of airship and seaplane stations. These latter involved journeys of considerable distance, and, although special trains were provided, the condition of the rolling-stock and engines made progress very slow. These were the first of some scores of journeys in which various of the Sub-Com-missions ultimately covered some thousands of miles in Northern German, gaining intimate and first-hand information of the condition of the people, crops, food supply, etc., that should prove of incalculable value to the Allied authorities who will have to decide what response is to be made to the appeal to divert food and shipping to feed the alleged starving millions of the German Empire.

These facts have no place in the present article, but it may be stated, in passing, that no members of the Commission report having observed any evidences of underfeeding in even such industrial centres as Hamburg and Bremen, and that through most of the country traversed the people appeared to be as well fed and dressed as in England and France. Such stock as was seen was also in good condition, land, generally, was carefully cultivated and highly fertilised, and those winter crops aiready in were making fine growth as a consequence of the unusually mild weather. Certainly the North Sea and Baltic littoral of Germany is not anywhere nearly so badly off for food as tliey are trying to make the Allies believe. NORTH SEA AIR STATIONS. Warship and merchant ship inspections were over at Wilhelmshavcn in a couple of days, but the visit to air stations on the North Sea side took some time longer. Borkum, Heligoland, and Sylt were reached by destroyer; most of the others by land. Discipline and order were found much better in both airship and seaplane stations than in the warships, and in most of these it was very evident that every endeavor had been made to live up to the letter of the armistice agreement. The Norderney seaplane station—on the island made famous in "The Riddle of the Sands"—was reported as comparing most favorably with any other of the kind in France or England, whilj the great' Nordholz Zeppelin station is, beyoiid comparison, the finest in the world. It was from here that practically all of the England-bound raiders started and not the least interesting sight observed there by the sub-Commission was the famous "L 14," with 24 visits to England to its credit. It was practically the only survivor of the first raiders, all of the rest having perished in one way or another. "L 14" waSj being used as a school ship during the last months of the war, and the latest airships, such as the mighty "L 71," outclass it completely for power, speed, size, and stability. Another interesting visit of one of the Sub-Commissions was to the wreck of the Zeppelin sheds at Tondern. It was this station which was so successfully bombed by aeroplanes launched from the Furious last summer, when two sheds and two Zeppelins were completely destroyed. ■?-. IN THE KIEL CANAL.

The passage by the Hercules of the liiej Canal was an occasion aa memor-

able 1 as historic. British light cruisers had made the passage in 1914, just before the war, but the Hercules was the first British battleship to ruffle its brown-black waters, just as were the Verdun and Viceroy the first destroyers. The people along the Canal banks were for the most part indifferently curious, but hand-waving and smiles from women and children were by no means infrequent. An ingratiating attitude was evident at all points, and the least sign of friendliness from one of the ships would undoubtedly have evoked not inconsiderable acclaim from the crowds on the banks. Needless to say, no such sign was forthcoming. Not a British hand was'lifted in response to the hundreds that were waved by the Huns. Indeed, many a simpering grin was seen to stiffen and, die out as the moon-face behind it passed under the steady stare of the imperturbable bluejackets lining the sides of the steadily steaming warships. A number of prisoners were seen on the hanks, mostly Russian, but from behind one barbed, wire barrier came an unmistakable hail of "How's old Blighty!" At another point a long train of what must have been returning British prisoners fairly rocked with cheers at the unexpected sight of the White Ensigns passing under the viaduct beneath them.

Prisoners began arriving rapidly after Kiel was reached, nearly every destroyer returning to anchorage bringing a substantial "haul." The Vidette returning from Habmurg, headed the list with 09, those being transferred to the mail destroyer, for the passage back to England. Most of these bad gruesome stories to tell of the treatment they had received during the months or years the Hun thought he was winning, but all reported that things had gone fairly well with them since the armistice. AT WAKNEMUNDE. The infusion of several Prussian advisers stiffened the backs of the German Commission, which came off to the first conference at Kiel, but this attitude disappeared, as before, and from then on things proceeded quite as smoothly as at Wilhelmshaven. The remaining warships were inspected, a large number of interned British merchantmen were gone over by the Shipping Board and started on the way home, and the remaining forts and air stations were visited by ' the Sub-Commissions detailed for that work. The most interesting of these latter was the great experimental station at Wamemnnde, where all of the new types which the Germans have had in process of development were seen.and inspected. Permission to visit this remarkable station was granted only under protest, and the revelation of what was in the way of accomplishment there must have been one of the bitterest pills the Huns had to swallow. The Submarine Commission, under Lieutenant-Commander Bower, pushed its investigations assiduously at Hamburg, Bremen, and other points, with the result that some scores of U-boats—-mostly ne&riiig completion—hitherto im-,

declared by the Germans, were found and reported. Admiral Goctte protested to the last against the giving up of" these, but at the filial conference the Allied Commission carried their point, and these potential pirates will be de- ! livera! iiv British ports as fast as they become ready for towing. % Willi the work of the Allied Commit!- ' sion completely finished, the .Hercules got under way at noon on December i IS, passed through the Kiel Canal that j afternoon and evening, locked out into I the Kibe estuary the following morn- ' ing, and began the homeward voyage. The crossing of the North Sea was made without incident. A complete and detailed story of the unique and historic cruise of the Her- ] cules, with the Allied Naval Commission, will be written and published later.