The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18
OWN STORY OF CRUISE
OF THE KRONPRINZ WILHELM

also did away with the possibility ot
her lookouts spotting our bow wave.
At night one of the easiest ways to
sight a vessel which shows no light
is by her bow wave--the white crested
wave she rolls off either side of her
bow. Men on that British cruiser ur-
uoubtedy were sweeping the seas with
telescopes. and illuminated telescopes,
searching for the little teltale crest
Of white. but they evidently did mo-;
see 1t. for when the sun came up
there was not a ship above the hori-
zon.
Early in the mornlng--before day
light--of October We sighted the
superstructure OF steamer hull down
on the horizon. She was heading a
course diagonal to ours and after OH
serving her for some time in the
growing light we figured out her
speed and calculated a course which
would bring her within range at the
carics; possible moment
As she came up over the horizon
we saw that her hull was black and
her superstructure a lighter colof,
which made her much easier to see
than were we with our lead gray
hull. especially In the early morning
light.
But our good fortune could not TO
on forever. and presently from the way
she veered off and crowded on more
speed. the black smoke vomiting from
her tunnels we knew that she had
sighted us We crowded ahead with
every ounce of steam our boilers would
generate and IL was very soon evident
that We must surely overtake her.
when We were drawing closer she
asked 10y wireless for our identity.
We told her to lay 10 and wait for our
arrival and asked her name and ma
t!ondlliy. To this she did not reply.
hut kept steaminE ahead. so she must
nave made up her mind by then that
We were German.
First Officer Werneke. who was on
the bridge with me. made out through
his glasses that there were two guns
mounted on her forward deck. We At
once sent word TO the crew and the
cheers Of those on deck soon brought
every one above t. see what new de-
velopment had caused the excitement.
To a man they were riotously joyous
because they expected real fight from
a ship which was armed at least
equally as well as we were.
cur 3 inch rifles were loaded
and trained on the enemy. which We
were now certain was a British steam
er. but I withheld fire for several rea-
sons. II seemed - us. through the
glasses. that the guns on the forward
deck of the stranger were larger han
. inch rifles We thought at frs.
thar they were inch guns though
We learned aftegward that they were
I inch.
AZ any rate We saw that they were
heavier than our own and knew they
mus; have a considerably ,onGer
range. Now l did not want To- open
fire with my smaller guns and pro-
woke the cncmy's fire at range
where his shells could do mo Consid-
cradle damage and mine CoulG not be
hoped To cripple him.
wanted to run In Just as close as
| possibly could before firing So that
we could do every bi; Of dana 20 pos
slblc. would have waited uutN he
opened fire and then If 20 had the
range properly ! would have replied
Bu, the Englishman did not open
fire. Every minute We We're drawing
nearer TO him and Yet his guns We're
silent. My men and officers We're I'M
patient but | restrained them. We
could see groups of men about tn"
guns on the Erit!sher's deck and to
Us IL meant that they too were ready
to pour lead into us at the first
syllable Of command.
4, L., o.
waiting. 1t was not that any If us
feared death.
NV one fear was that | would not
he able 10 get those guns which were
mounted on the British ship. They
meant more to us than anything just
then.
wondered why they did not fire.
Closer and closer We drew. | signalled
them 10 lay to, The captain replied
that If We approached nearer he would
open fire. For answer | ordered my
engine room to crowd more speed il II
was humanity possible.
| could wait no longer.
Fire across her bows" ordered.
one OF our little 3 inch rifles
spit flame and shot crossed the bows
OF the vessel we had now made out
to he La Corentina. ! expected them
to fire in return but there was no
flash from the guns on her deck Her
propeller ceased churninC the water
and she came TO a fun stop as we
ran abreast of her. ! sent boarding
party and they learned to their sur
prise that there was no ammunition
on hazard for the two beautiful /