Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-12
worst thing America had done"


didn't need newspapers. We had good
wireless apparatus aboard all the time
and Sir Edward Grey kindly sent us sew
cral new sets when we needed them"
Lieut.. Warneke said that most Of the
passengers and sailors taken from Brit
ish and other allied ships were sent
from time to time by German ships to
Buenos Ayres. Rio De JaneirO. Pernam-
Duco and Santos Three hundred and
sixty from the French steamer Gauda-
loupe were sent ashore at PernambucO.
Several weeks ago. the officer said,
the Wilhelm was getting short of coal
and supplies and some of her crew and
prisoners were afflicted with beri-beri,
caused by lack of vegetable food. The
Germans had hoped to get supplies from
the German ship Macedonia. which was
reported to have escaped from Las Bal
mas several weeks ago. This vessel
they learned. however. had been cap
tured by British vessels. This hope
gone. they steamed north through the
middle of the Atlantic and were in touch
with events transpiring regarding the
Prinz Eitel Friedrich.
It was reported tonight that the cruis-
er's original destination was New York,
but that warnings were given not to at
tempt to make that port.
Although officers would not admit It.,
the Wilhelm is declared to have been
waiting far out in the ocean off this
port until the Eitel was informed. AS
soon as this news reached her, she was
ordered to creep in through the allied
ships off the Virginia coast. should they
remain there. That four were off the
capes last night was asserted by several
of the Prinz Wilhelm's officers One of
them declared they were SO close that
the sputtering Of the wireless on te
British and French vessels could be
heard abaut o'clock this morning
A member Of the crew of the Prinz
Wilhelm. who was formerly in the Unit
ed States army declared the crew wit
messed an enco inter between the karls-
ruhe and the British cruiser Bristol.
when off the Bermudas," he said,
1.-The British cruisers Bristol. Suffolk
and Berwick came up and we were
forced to run. While the Karlsruhe
was engaging the Bristol we were
steaming straight away. We made rs
knots an hour and we never heard
from the Karlsruhe after that except
once Our last message from her told
us that the Bristol had been damaged
and was making for some port for
repairs and that the Karlsruhe had
been only slightly damaged and no
one had been killed. We then began
our cruise as warship. First we
got the Indian Prince and then the
La Correntina. We did not take an
other prize until Nov. IL when we
Union. We needed that coal badly.
too. and piled it onto our deck. in the
drawing rooms and first class cab
in.
ON Nov. 81 we captured and sank
the French steamer Anne De Bre-
tagne. On Dec. II, just as our coal
supply again was running short we
captured the British steamer Belle
vue. which had about 1000 tons of
coal. Our next prize was the French
steamer Mont Agel. On Dec. 2S. we
overhauled the British steamer Hem
isphere and we secured 5000 tons OF
coal. This left us without any fear
of running short. Our next capture
was the British steamer Potaro.
which we sent down Jan. 10. On
Jan. II we came upon the British
steamer Highland Brae. In addition
to a crew Of 81 she had aboard 81
passengers. We took stores from her.
transferred the crew and passengers
to the Wilhelm and sent the steamer
to the bottom. On the same day we
overhauled the British sailing ship
Wilfrid M. She was loaded with fish
and potatoes and we secured much
provisions.
The Norwegian sailing ship Seman-
tina, the only neutral ship we sank on
our long VOYAGE was overhauled Feb.
3. This ship. we were told had on
board a cargo of wheat consigned to
the British army and navy and we
sent her down because she was car
rying contraband of war. On Feb. p
we captured the British freight steam
err Chasehill and after taking coal
and provisions from her we put four
or five hundred prisoners aboard and
told her captain to take them to the
nearest port. We left her food and
coal enough to make port and fitted
M sleeping accommodations for the
prisoners.
"While we were transferring coal to
the Wilhelm the French passenger
steamer Guadeloupe with crew of 1o'
men and officers and 143 passengers came
up and we took her in charge. These
prisoners were also placed aboard the
Chasehill and after taking what We
wanted from the Frenchman we sent hel
down by opening her sea cocks.
I'VE did not sight any more ships unit
March "a. when the Royal Mail steamer
Tamara was overhauled off the Brazilian
coast. Four days later we captured the
British steamer Colby with wheat
Describing the dash Of the Prinz VIII
helm into Hampton Roads. the narrator
said:
After we had arrived of the Virginia
capes, a little to the north, I think. we
turned due west and put on all possible
steam. We started above o'clock Sat.
urday evening. From that time until 4
o'clock this morning we ploughed the
sea variously estimated at from q to 2;
knots. All lights were out and 1t was an
anxious time for us. All hands were on
deck and the crew at the guns. We had
heard Of the internments Of the Prinz
Eitel and we judged that the enemy ships
of the Capes might not be so vigilant
In fact we heard that some of the ships
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