Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-11
Prinz Eitel Frederick Gets
to Newport News With
out Encountering Foe
CAPTAIN ASKS FOR
FUEL AND PROVISIONS
Possibility That Boat May
Intern Here Seems to
Have Some Grounds


Within an hour after the Prinz
EiteI had arrived at Hampton
Roads request was made to the
Newport News ShipbulIdlno and
Drydock Co., for information
whether the concern could at once
begin work on repairs. The ship
building company Immediately
communicated tho request to the
navy department at Washington
and asked whether the United
States would have any objection.
Newport News, Va. March 10.-The
German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel
Friedrich arrived here today, presum-
ably for coal and supplies. She also is
said to be in need of repairs and may
intern here. She is reported to have
BIG French and Russian prisoners of
war aboard.
The Prinz Eitel Friedrich arrived off
the Virginia capes last night but did
not enter Hampton Roads until this
morning, when she steamed up to Old
Point Comfort, and after complying
with quarantine regulations, proceeded
to this city, where she dropped anchor
shortly before 10 o'clock. Much Sec
recy covered her movements and furth-
er than that she was in urgent need of
coal and provisions and also repairs,
nothing could be learned as to the
cause of her stop here. One report.
which was unconfirmed, has it that the
big steamer was chased to the mouth
Of Chesapeake bay by British cruis-
er.
The Prinz Eitel Friedrich has three
S-inch guns and ten 5inch guns. She
carries crew of $50 men and thirteen
officers. Where the 326 Russian and
French prisoners were taken aboard
was not known here.
Immediately after the Prinz Eitel
Friedrich dropped anchor the coast
guard cutter Onondaga went alongside.
The captain of the cutter prepared to
make full report to Collector of Gus
toms Hamilton.
Law to be Followed.
Washington, D. c., March 10.-Ac-
corling to the doctrine laid down by
the American government In other
cases similar to the Prinz Eitel Fried
rich, the collector of customs at Nor
folk must give the commander of the
German ship twenty-four hours from
the time of his arrival to take coal and
provisions.
If the ship needs repairing, however,
she has longer respite. In that case
the naval constructor at the port will
make an examination and report what
would be a reasonable time to make
the necessary repairs, and the German
ship would be given twenty:four hours
in addition to that time. Meanwhile
the American government would keep
the time of her departure a secret, so
no unfair advantage might accrue to
hostile ships which might gather In
wait for the German auxiliary. SINH
lar cases arose in connection with the
German gunboat Geier, which was in
termed at Honolulu after repairs to her
machinery, and the steamer Farm at
San Juan, Porto Rico.
Officials here we're of the opinion
that the presence of British and
French cruisers close on the Atlantic
coast might influence the German COM
mander to decide to interne his ship.
How the Eitel Friedrich had managed
to get through the lines or nOstlle war
ships in the Atlantic caused much
speculation.
The disposition of any prisoners of
war the German ship may have aboard
will raise another question. 1t is pos-
sible that they may be paroled.
American officials were awaiting Of
fetal information before announcing
any action.
American On Board.
Newport News, March 10-The cap
tain Of the American sailing ship Will
liam P. Frye and his wife are also said
to be on board the Prinz Eitel Fried
rich. The Frye, commanded by Captain
Kielne, sailed from Seattle November
6 for Queenstown and has not been re-
ported since she passed Tatoosh,
Wash, the following day.
AS nearly as can be learned from the
Prinz Eitel, the Frye was sunk because
she was alleged to have been carrying
contraband of war. No details were
available as to whether she was sunk
by the Prinz Eitel or another ship.