River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-07-08
TALK OF SAVING
German RAIDER
Some Believe That the EmdGn
Gan Be Repaired.
ISLANDERS WERE FOOLED.

Treated Germans to Liquor and Cigars.
Captain Won Muller Says He Knew
From the Start That He Was Out
classed and Tried In Vain TO Run
Away.
Until recently it has been considered
that the Emden, the German raider
wrecked by the Australian cruiser Sgd
ney last November, would never again
be fit for anything except as a relic or
scrap iron But now there appears to
be a possibility Of her becoming unit
in the Australian navy. Some expert
enced mariners who have visited her
since she was beached and burned by
the Sydney's brOadsidcs believe that
Captain Won Muller's vessel can be re-
foated On the other hand. however,
navy men who boarded the hulk to Sc
cure relics for the Australian govern
ment reported that it was hard and
fast on the reefs in the COcOs group
and that if pulled back into deep water
it would sink. This conflict in opinion
will not be settled until government
salyers get to work.
Already several offers have been re-
ceived by the naval board, and one
Australian engineering firm has eX-
pressed confidence that it can patch W
the vessels bottom and slide her of
the sand and coral The Sydney is
said not to have hoIed her below the
water line. If it is fact her hull
should be in fairly good condition. The
flames damaged her machinery. but
not SO badly as to make it utterly with
out use.
The British warship Cadmus, which
visited the Emden from Singapore, re-
ports that eight big guns are yet on
board and that a great deal of good
metal can be salved- Another report
stated that the hull had been moving
backward and forward and swinging
slightly upon her sand bed, but when
the naval authorities here cabled to
Cocos island to ascertain whether the
wreck was still there the answer canie
back, Hard and fast"
How He Fooled Islanders.
a man who has reached West Aus
owing to circumstances involving the
question of his nationality was in
termed for four months at Malta with
Captain Won Muller and several other
officers of the Emden, heard Won Null
Ter describe gleefully how he fooled
British representative on Diego Garcia
island, in the Indian ocean. The in
habitants are said to be of French de-
scent, but the group belongs to Great
Britain. When the Emden. the bottom
of which was quite foul. reached this
isolated spot the Germans We're greeted
by the islanders, headed by an elderly
and utterly unSuspecting official, who
asked Won Muller if there was any
thing stirring The captain replied that
the pope was dead. When asked for
his unusual presence at the island Won
Muller said that he was taking part in
some maneuvers with the British navy.
The islanders We're very hospitable and
treated the Germans to liquor and CT
CARS. They also helped to give the En-
den the oyerhauling which she needed.
Knew He Was Doomed.
This man told OF Won Muller relat-
ing that on the morning when his yes
sci encountered the Sydney he did not
at first think that she was an Aus
tralian cruiser looking for battle. AS
soon as he realized the fact he knew
his ships doom was sealed. He sound
ed a warning with the siren to the
members of his crew who were ashore
and about to wreck the Cocos cable
station, and he endeavored to draw the
Sydney to close quarters SO that he
could use torpedOes, but when he found
that Captain GlOssop could not be
tempted thus and was pounding the
Emden at long range he decided to run
for it. He soon perceived that the
chase could have only one ending. and
so he ran his burning vessel ashore. He
admitted that the Emden was COM
pletely outclassed by her adversary,
and when he was taken aboard the
Sydney, a prisoner of war, it was with
surprise that he noted that she was
damaged so little.