The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

1 about an hour and quarter to get our things in shape to leave the Tamar. "The German cruiser zigzagged back wards and forwards along the line of the equator for the next three days, and at s D. m. on Saturday. the 27th, picked up l the Coleby, which was sent to the bottom early in the morning of the 18th. The sea- cocks of both the Tamar and Coleby were l open and number of shots were fired into each vessel. Out of six shots fired at the Coleby, two went wild and the dis | tance was onty about BOG yards. , After sinking the Coleby, the Kronprinz Wilhelm headed westward again. grad ually working her way northward. At 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon, the 2Sth the Wilhelm picked up a ship and headed in her direction for hour at a speed of l about b knots. At 6 o'clock the Wilhelm came to a sudden stop and went full speed astern for 20 minutes or possibly half an hour, for the expected prize had l turned out to be a British cruiser. Captain Thierfelder is pretty foxy l chap. His idea was to keep his ship head on to the other fellow in order to prevent | the other vessels from counting his fun nes or making out anything else about 1 the cruiser which could not be seen from | head-on view.
 'fhe cruiser evidently gave chase. but after running full speed astern for half an hour darkness set in and the German | turned around and went at full speed to l the eastward until midnight. In his eff l fort to escape the captain crowded on steam until the big steamer was quivering I like a leaf under the strain.
 After midnight, the German finally turned to the northwest and went straight away. Monday at daybreak the hostile vessel was nowhere in sight" | Describing the dash of the Kronprinz l Wilhelm into Hampton Roads Matthews said
 l Saturday afternoon the Wilhelm moved northward very slowly. After dark. the skipper headed due west and went at full tilt-as fast as every bit of
 steam he could raise would carry him
 until close on to 9 o'clock. The night | was very dark and with all lights out l and portholes covered. the Wilhelm could not possibly have been seen. 1 At o'clock the cruiser was brought
 to a dead stop and in few seconds we were going at full speed astern. The lookout evidently saw something whicf
 he thought was one of the British cruis-
 CTS lying off the Virginia capes. The officers were very particular for the re-
 mainder of the night
 After going full tilt astern for hall
 an hour, Captain Thierfelder agair started ahead and crowded on all steam COulu not tell Wn1cn way We were go ing then because there were no star. out and I had no way to get my bear. ings. Twice after this we came to sud. den stops but each time the cruiser started full speed ahead again anc shortly after II o'clock she showed blue light-signal for a pilot. The Ger man evidently then was in the three mile limit. Next morning when we woke
 up the Kronprinz Wilhelm was in Ches apeake bay. She passed into Virginis
 waters with only the blue light show. ing"
 Late tonight it was learned that pre-
 liminary surveys of the Kronprnz Will
 helm had convinced experts the ship coulc
 not be made seaworthy in less than three
 weeks No official report to that effec
 has been made, however. The Wilhelm'
 pumps were working constantly and the
 bilge water from her pipes was unusual,
 heavy. The leaks were caused by loosen
 ing of her plates occasioned by rrequen
 coaling at sea and ramming merchantmen
 when shots failed to sink them.
 Commander Thierichens of the internet Prinz Eitel Friedrich, who dined tonigh with Captain Thierfelder. denied intima
 tions that he had used his wireless whil
 In port here to communicate with the vii
 helm
 He had given his pledge to this govern
 ment not to use his wireless he said, an,
 he had kept the pledge