Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-03
E|TEL ALL READY
FOR DASH TO SEA
But Whether She Will Make At
tempt or Be Interned Re-
mains Mystery.
CREW RESIGNED TO ANY FATE
Last Load of Supplies Taken On
While Army and Navy Tugs
Stand Guard.

NEWPORT NEWS. VA. April q
The German merchant raider Prinz
Eitel Friedrich tonight is ready to go
back TO sea and to brave tho danger
OF attack from feet of warships OF
Tho allies off the Virginia cnpes.
whether she will be sent into the fate
iul breach or her government submit
Ia intcrnment by tho United States re-
mained n mystery, however. az the
las, load OF supplies sufficient for
voyage to Bremen was stored away In
her hold under supervision OF the
American navy.
But If her orders arc to break for
the opcn sea. the Eiicl Friedrich Is well
prepared. Her bunkcrs are filled with
coal. her storchousc has been
plcnished. her machinery has been re-
paired and keyed up TO tho maximum
strength. her officers and crew are re-
signed TO any fate. and waiting for the
word
When come back. will be glad TO
20 to your home and dine" said Cap
'a'n MAX Thicrichcns. commander OF
INC Eitel. late to-day, addressing a
Fellow countryman who had called TO
pay his respects And when come
let's not have any banquet ana crowds
lrst you and and some noodle soup"
PARTY or VIHGINIANs
VISIT GERMAN RAIDER
inc German commander was ad-
dressing Henry Kirn. OF Norfolk Coun-
-, Va. who had called with Senator
]. s. Martin, o: Virginia: Captain w
H. Mayo. Mayor OF Norfolk, and "a party
OF Nirginians as guests of Customs
collector Norman Il. Hamilton. Mr..
kirn was horn in Germany. and left
here siXty-tnrcc years ago. Captain
Thierichcns was delighted TO see him
and chatted with him in their native
'ongue for half an hour.
When the kitcl had finished taking
"h supplies. tina; originally had been
<ehcduled for delivery Sunday, two
United States tugs stood guard at her
stern. one representing the navy. from
he Norfolk Navy-Yard. and the other
representing the army, from Fortress
Monroe. Coast Artillerymcn pa,roiied
her pier. and the elements were pro
p!tions for dash through rain and
darkness. in AN attempt TO elude Brit
ish and French baltleships which lay
in waiting off the Virginia coast. Late
in the day. the situation in the vicinity
OF the Pr!nZ Eitel was tense. Every
officer and sailor was on board. Some
we're permitted TO receive friends on
the pier. That many OF them believed
they were going 10 sea was evident
from their declarations to their visi-
tors.
LITTLE TIME: TO UEMAIN
IN AMERICAN WATERS
Just when they would bc ordered to
go they claimed not 10 know. but all
asserted that there was little time left
Fyr -
waters. unless she should submit TO
internmcnt. Another circumstance in
d!cating the uncertainty OF the situa-
tion was the presence on board the
Eitel late In The day OF two German
youths who are seek : 10 enlist in
tho German navy. They were Quartz
Bcyrr and Hans Roth. who came TO
Newport News from Germany a few
months ago. They applied for enlist
ment week ago, and Captain THE
richens said he had no; decided what
10 do because he was not certain what
| would be done about his shin. The
boys. however. were on hand ready 10
risk their lives for the Fatherland.
should Commander Th!.richcns say the
word.
Government officials who conferred
with the German commander late to-
day absolutely declined to discuss the
status of the ship. Collector Hamilton
said he had talked TO the commander
on official business. Colonel Ira r.
i Haynes, commandant at Fortress Mon
roe. who also was aboard the vessel.
would not discuss his mission at ALL
- The colonel presented to Commando
Thierichens Jacob II. Dickinson
former Secretary OF War.
SUBMARINES KEEP WATCH
At ENTRANCE TO CAPES
American submarines were reported
to he keeping watch Mt the entrance to
= the capes tonight and the battleship
Alabama still was at anchor in lamp
- ton Roads.
SearchliEhts OF the ship were seen
to flash intermttently throughout the
night. tho first real dark night within
week. At 10 o'clock the Alabama's
launch steamed into the James River
and to the Prinz Eitels pier. An Of
Acer from the launch was seen to
board the Eitel. 1t was impossible for
any one without authority to approach
the pier after dark. either from the
land or the river. Approach from the
river was guarded by the naval tug
Patuxent.
Reports that two more british war
ships had Joined the feet which has
been on guard off the coast for several
weeks could not he verified here
Late in tho afternoon, however. one
British warsliip was seen from an in
coming merchant ship. The vessel
was then lying about five miles off.
directly south of tho ship lane
CABINS AGEow WITH LIGHT
JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT
shortly before midnight the Eiters
cabins were aslow with light, and
members OF the crew could be seen
scurrying around her decks. \ news
per launch which approached tho
Eiters slip got within nifty yards of tho
nier whom tho PatuXcntc searchlight
fla shed upon her. AS the newspaper
boat passed by, the searchlight signaled
u launch Of Tho ha icls