The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-04-01
RAID
En- TAKES COAL,
DASH OR BLUFF?
BELIEVED VESSEL WILL BE IN
TERMED WHEN TIME LIMIT Ex-
PlRES TEASING ENEMY AT
HARBOR ENTRANCE. --

Newport News Va, March 31-Un-
der supervision of the United States
navy the German merchant raider
Prinz Eitel Friedrich Wednesday
night is filling her bunkers with coal.
Sixteen hundred tons were delivered
alongside on barges late in the day
and the crew Immediately began
transferring the coal to the cruiser,
When the barges arrived at the
ship yard where the Prinz Eitel
Friedrich is moored, orders were
at once given to bar all approaches
for the night. Commander Thierichens
requested the Washington govern
ment to furnish a patrol for the pier
which his ship occupies and marines
were sent from the Norfolk navy
yard for this duty. Approach to the
pier from the river, as well as from
itiiiu Nii'i uiANNo W AllN Nelu N'lN
fectively barred.
Particular orders wele issued by
officers of the ship yard to permit
no newspaper men to enter the plant.
Efforts TO gain admission before
dark were unavailing. Attempts to
get near the pier by launch in the
James river also were frustrated
Coaling of the ship was started
about o'clock in the afternoon. As
the first sacks were hoisted from the
barges the ships band struck up a
German national air and at frequent
intervals until a late hour the sailors
labored to patriotic musical accom-
paniment. At the rate the ship was
being coaled it was estimated that
the supply allotted by the American
government would be in the vessels
bunkers before morning.
Permission Given.
Permission was given Commander
Thierichens to coal after a confer
ence at Norfolk Wednesday, attended
by Rear Admiral Beatty, commandant
of the Norfolk navy yards; Rear Ad
miral Helm, commander of the re-
serve Atlantic feet, whose flagship
the Alabama, guards Hampton Roads
Wednesday night, and Norman r. Hill
ton, collector of customs for this
port. Collector Hamilton came here
from Norfolk just before the coal
barges arrived and sent an official
message to Commander Thierichens
The collector returned to Norfolk
Wednesday night, but will be here
again Thursday.
What Commander Thierchens pro
poses to do still remains a mystery
The coal he was permitted to take
aboard was measured by United
States naval officers on the basis
that it would be sufficient to supply
the ship in run to the nearest
German port. Bremen was the port
which figured in the official navy ap-
portionment.
Many rumors were circulated as tc
| the future course of the Eitels
commander A report given credence
Wednesday night was that the Ger
man captain had asked for a pilot
Another report was that he wished
to have his ship piloted to the Nor
folk navy yard TO be interned. II was
also reported that he proposed before
many days to make a dash for sea
in a daring attempt to run the block
ade of British and French warships
off the Virginia capes. Why he
should desire so much fuel if he in.
tends to inferno his ship was eX.
planned in one source on the ground
that he wished to make it appear
up to the very last minute that he
intended to depart, in order to hold
the allies warships off the capes.
Could Not Leave Until Today. -
That the Eitel would make no at
tempt to leave her dock Wednesday
night was generally conceded. In
fact she would not be permitted TO
depart because several British mer-
chant ships cleared Newport News
Wednesday. Under neutrality regula-
tions, therefore, the Eitel could not
leave port until late Thursday.
Washington authorities are known
to be thoroughly aware of the in
tentions of the Eitels commander.
Information from the ship itself is
variable. One man who has paid
frequent visits to the Eitel Friedrich
asserted Wednesday night that there
was no question but that the cruiser
would put to sea.
All leading grocers handle Berry's