The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-05
ORDERS SHIPS SUNK.
NO INTERNED GERMAN VESSEL
CAN MAKE ESCAPE.
Alleged Plan to Block Harbor OF Ncw
York Brings Determined Order
From Washington, According to
New York Neutrality-suspicious. are
Busy.

Naval officers in New York city
were intensely interested Saturday,
according to the New York Herald,
in unexpected orders that came from
Washington to sink any German ship
that attempts to leave that harbor.
The orders were based. it was learn
cd, upon reports submitted to gov.
ernment officials in Washington that
In the event Of hostilitics between
this country and Germany an effort
will be made at once to bottle up
New York harbor by sinking at an
advantageous spot in the Narrows
one or more OF the big German
steamships that have been tied up at
Hoboken piers since the European
war began.
1t also was admitted that the same
orders regarding German steamships
attempting to leave the port were
transmitted to the commanders Of all
the forts that guard New York City.
Just where the information came
from upon which the orders were
issued could not be learned, but 1t Is
known definitely that a rigid investi-
cation has been in progress almost
from the time President Wilson's for
NAL protest against the sinking of
the Lusitania went to Berlin. This
investigation has been participated
In by approximately one hundred Sec
ret Service operatives who were sent
from Washington; practically every
customs inspector and guard who
could be spared from other duties to
take part In the work. and a large
corps of special agents of the depart.
ment of justice.
No effort was made In responsible
quarters to conceal the fact that the
reports submitted from these several
sources maintained that there was a
real basis for fear that Germany has
decided already upon a way to isolate
New York City. at least temporarily,
In the event Of break in relations
with the United States. The state
ment that the sinking Of the Water
land, the largest steamship afioat,
and perhaps others of the German
commercial feet held in New York
harbor, to bar passage through the
Narrows would be embraced in the
first German effort. has been believed
In Washington as a result of the veri-
fication offered by the unusually large
corps Of investigators.
The orders received regarding the
conduct Of officers Of both army and
navy could not be mistaken. They
were simply to sink any German ves-
sci that did not Immediately respond
to an order to stop.
Bolstering this information, it was
learned that orders likewise have
been issued to deny clearance papers
to any Of the German vessels now tied
up in the port of New York. Inas.
much as no application for such pa
pers has been made by any Of the
ships since within few days after
the actual beginning OF hostilities
abroad, no other explanation than
that dash for the sea was contem.
plated by one or more of the ships
could be offered Of the order.
The receipt Of the orders followed
an investigation begun on May IL.
On that day the neutrality squad"
ordinarily composed of twelve Gus
toms inspectors and guards, suddenly
was increased to seventy. In the
middle OF the afternoon. and withou.
any explanation of their errand. these
men were placed on board the coast
guard tugs Hudson and Guide at the
Battery and started for the piers I'm
Hoboken at which the German own.
ed steamships have been tied up since
August.
Ihey went directly to the piers of
the Hamburg-American line and ths
North German Lloyd line. which ad-
Join each other on the New Jersey
front OF the Hudson river. Every
possible effort was made to keep sec
ret their mission. They remained
away for about four hours and in
that time 1t subsequently was learned
they went over every inch of the piers
and the big ships that have been tied
to them since the war began.
just at that time several apparent
ly unfounded reports were in circula-
tion. One was to the effect that.
with the feeling against Germany in
this &C f1try. the scheme then was. i'm
the event OF the sudden development
OF state OF war between the United