Evening star., 1915-04-12
CAPTAIN ASKS SURVEY
TOFIX TIME FOR REPAIRS
Crew Is Composed Almost Wholly Of
Naturalized German-Ameri-
can Citizens.
U. S. NAVAL GUARD ON DUTY
Kronprinz Watched by Torpedo
Boats and Submarines to
Prevent Neutrality
Violation.

NEWPORT NEWS. Va. April IL
First aid TO the crippled and exhausted
German merchant raider kronpr1nz VIII
helm, which arrived unexpectedly in this
port yesterday with British prisoners
from sunken ships and a hospital ward
filled with sick sailors. was extended to-
day, One hundred and fifty tons of coal.
fifty tons of fresh water and three days
supply of fresh meats. fruit and vegetables
for use while in port were taken aboard
this morning. These provisions were al
lotted by Collector of Customs Norman r.
Hamilton after conference with the
Washington authorities.
Officers of British merchant ships sunk
by the raider declare that a British war
ship chased the Wilhelm into port, she
escaping only by her greater speed.
Early today United States naval patrol
OF the James river was begun in the
vicinity of the WiIhelms anchorage. The
naval tug Patuxent took a position along
SIDE the German raider. while torpedo
boats and submarines anchored in posi-
tons leading to Hampton roads.
Crew Is German-Amerfcan.
The crew of the Kronprinz is com
posed almost entirely of persons who
are naturalized Americans, who have
lived in the United States for many
wears. Fifteen of them are former
members of the crew of the United
States battleship Kearsage and the
Karlsruhe. transferred to the Kron
prinz in the south Atlantic. Several
ships sunk by the auxiliary cruiser
the conditions under which the
Kronprinz Wilhelm slipped out OF New
York harbor. August last, IT being
reported that she did not have proper
clearance papers when she made her
dash. as it now develops. under direct
orders from the German government
should it. be found that the ship did
not secure clearance papers, she would
be subject to pains and penalties"
for breach Of the customs law Of the
United States.
Asks Time for Survey.
Lieut. Capt. Thierfelder. comma nder
of the Kronprinz Wilhelm. has asked
for time to survey his ship and to
submit to examination by board Of
United States naval officers before
making a formal request as to the time
he wishes to remain in American wa
tiers for full supplies and repairs. His
machinery, after the 255-day voyage
from New York harbor, is said to be in
fairly good condition. evidenced by the
fact that the ship was able to make at
least twenty-three knots an hour Sat-
urday night and Sunday morning in
her darkened dash into Hampton roads
through lane that echoed and re-
echoed with the sputterings from wire
less instruments Of enemy warships.
British Prisoners Released.
shortly before noon today the sixty
one British officers and men of the
"a Cnlehy Yak kap
from the Wilhelm aboard a tug and
rushed down the river to the British
horse ship Casandra. which Will sail
later today for Glasgow The harbor
was lined with British merchant ships
the captives OF the German raider
Nere released, and as their tug steam
ed by more than thousand British
sailors lined the decks Of their ships
and cheered The cheers could be dis
tiuctly heard In the streets of Newport
News, hundreds of yards away.
When the liberated Britishers reach
ed tho Casandra's dock they hurriedly
tossed the remnants of their luggage
boys in anticipation of the trip to their
native land. joyous that they had mi
raculously escaped destruction by the
guns OF their own country's warships
Did We see British warships satur-
day nightT' said w. J. Cow, chief en-
1fneer of the steamer Coleby, which
was sunk in the south Atlantic March
-. I'VE certainly saw one and heard
others. j saw one about midnight way
OF on the horizon and she was chasing
US from midnight on until We reached
safety In the Virginia capes about
O'Clock Sunday morning.
Of course we were all put below
every night at O'Clock. but I could
see the dark. dim outline of the war
ship fye or six miles distant after mid
night. The Wilhelm seemed to be the
faster ship, for as time went on the
lines OF the warship grew DINNER and
dimmer. until she disappeared in the
distance.
Escape Marvellous.
~OuT escape to this port was perfect
1y marvellous. We were running with
all Lights out and at top speed from 8
o'clock Saturday afternoon, when we
headed directly west
How the British ships missed us
do not understand. unless it was that
some OF the ships had gone north ana
some south In search for US. while we
steered Tar out and then turned abrupt
1y in. In few more hours we wor,a
have been caught in the trap. and one
thot would have finished US"
Engineer Cow declared thar oe7..
pf the Wilhelm had whispered ahon,
nat the Prinz E1tel when in port here
AdQ h0pt tuSm 5upDiieu with wireless
Information before her wireless was
sealed last Friday.
Blood Is thicker than water. you
know" said Cow. You couldn't expect
The Eitel to keep still as long as her
wireless was not sealed. could you.
You know this Is war. But we were
treated as well possible We had
nothing to eat but rice and bully ybeef.
hut that was all the officers and crew
Of the Wilhelm had for days and day
We have no kick coming. but we lost
lot OF stun, dog bite 'en"'
The sixty-one British captives related
1OW they were forced by Capt Thier.