The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-08-06
of Fate of the Karlsruhe,
Bremen and Strassburg Has
Kent Whole World WONDERING.
Three German Warships Had
Brief but EventfuI Career Be-
fore Suddenly Disappearing.
fate Of the three German
cruisers Karlsruhe, Bremen
and Strassburg-bids fair to


become the puzzle of the war.
It adds quite a touch Of the romance
of the old ocean stories. All these
three vessels We're mentioned when
hostilities began as engaged on the
raiding account, and they have now
disappeared, but how, when and where
Is a mystery. The ancient mariners
were quite accustomed to such vanish
ings. Many an island they discovered
proved to be unreal, and many an an
cient bark sailed out into the unknown
and never returned. In these days,
however, with all the facilities science
has provided for the collection and dis
semination of information. it is sur
prising that these cruisers should have
faded away like the phantom Flying
Dutchman.
The Karlsruhe, in the north Atlantic,
made a success Of commerce raiding
during the first four months of the
war, and her record was nearly as
high as that Of the Emden, to which
she was a sister ship. She was spe-
AAAA " IL lllDC VI uu.A'
1liary vessels, some Of them her own
captures, which she employed, spread
ing them around her like a spiders
web. to give notice Of incoming flies
or warning Of danger. She was also
noted for her alleged hairbreadth es-
cape from British cruisers. Toward
the end Of November, however, her ac-
tivities appear to have ceased. and
since that time there have been many
reports concerning her fate. The fact
that n Of her auxiliaries, the Rio Ne
gro, was reported to have arrived at
KEEL early in December; that another,
the Farm, gave herself up at San Juan,
Porto Rico, a month later, and that
Others We're hiding in South American
rivers, gave support to the rumor that
the parent cruiser had gone. Nothing
certain has since been heard of her,
but all the reports point to something
having happened off the island Of Gre
NADIA at the end Of 1914.
Log Book Full Of Thrills.
The K~arlsruhe's log book would tell
q story more thrilling than those of the
famous Alabama. the Bonhomme Rich.
ard and the Emden, all rolled into one,
Her commander, Captain Kohler, earn.
ed q name for himself which rivals
those Of such naval heroes as Nelson
Semmes, John Paul Jones and No1
Muller. Consider, first. the sea trap.
the Karlsruhe so ably set for its vic
Tins.
cruiser was in the harbor at San Juan
Porto Rico. The British and French
consuls there entered a vigorous pro
test with the United States government
against her being allowed to remain
in port unless she was informed. Thu
following day the Karlsruhe left TO
an unknown destination. From tina
day until this she has showed hersel
III no port.
Three weeks after she left Port
Rico, however, she had gathered abou
her a feet Of three German merchant
explained, sped to certain prearrange'
points on the ocean the instant it ar
'peared that there was a chance tina
Germany might soon be at war. \
those points the Karlsruhe found them
These three ships the karlsruhe
spread across the steamship lanes Ell
Their between North and South Amer
ica or between South America and Eu
rope, as was desired. After severa
merchantmen flying flags of the M
lions allied against Germany had beef