Evening star., 1915-03-15
Grew T0REPA|R
H|TE[FR|EDR|CH
Commander Asks Whether
Boiler and Machinery Sup
plies Can Be Had.
STILL DELAYS REQUEST
FOR TIME IN PORT
Thierichens Intended to Fight With
Women and Children Aboard if
Attacked, It Is Declared.

NEWPORT NEWS. Va. March 15.-
That Commander Thierichens of the
German converted cruiser Prinz Eitel
Friedrich has made no request OF the
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry
Dock Company to repair his sea raider
| In dock here was discovered today.
After thorough examination by the
| United States naval board of survey
! headed by Naval Constructor Duboss
is made today Of the boilers and ma
chinery, Commander Thierichens is ex-
pected to announce the time wanted IN
port.
Commander Thierichens, 1t Is under
stood here. has asked the shipbuiIdins
company if 1t has certain boiler ana
machinery supplies. but contemplate
making whatever repairs are necessary
with his own crew of machinists. none
of this repair work has been instituted
yet, and this strengthens the convic-
ton here that tho German ship is to
be interned.
Dramatic Incident Revealed.
There came to light today another
dramatic incident OF the Eitel Fried
rich's crippled dash to the refuge OF an
American port with her load OF res
cued crews and passengers from her
sunken prey. Oficers OF the sunken
ships were well aware that the German
ship was in imminent danger OF de-
struction They knew the Eiters wire
less had intercepted exchanges between
British warships. One morning a1.e1
such a message had been picked up,
Capt. Monssion of the sunken French
passenger steamer F1oride went 70
Commander Thierichens and said:
Captain, should we encounter Brit
ish warship, what VIII you 90 aoous .,s
aboard?"
Commander Thierichens is reported
to have replied that he would hoist q
signal to the foe that his ship had
women and children and officers OF
ships of the allies aboard.
But supposing they won't believe
you," the French captain said Inc
women and children and prisoners all
have to be below and cannot be seen.
Would Fight With Women Aboard.
To this the German commander an
swered that If his signal was not De-
lieved and he was attacked he would
have to give battle The incident only
served to increase the alarm OF the
French, British and Russian shipmas-
ters as we'll as that of Capt. Kiehne.
immigration officials today began
preparations for removing immigrants
from the Eitel Friedrich. to be for
warded to Ellis Island tonight.
Commander Thierichens entertafned
last night, at formal dinner on board
the Eitel Friedrich, Rear Admiral
Beatty, cornInandant Of the Norfolk
navy yard, and his stan. Guests of
the dinner also were captains OF the
Austrian steamer Budapest and Ger
man steamers Arcadia and Jupiter.
which have been moored here for sale
ty since the beginning Of the European
war.
Eitel Was Watched.
An officer of the English freighter
Anelo-Patagonian, from Swansea, to
load horses for the allies. says that the
movements of the Eitel Friedrich were
known to the allies war craft for sew
eral days before she sought haven In
Hampton roads
According to the officers story, the
lAuelo-Patagontan was warned last
Sunday by wireless from a British
cruiser that the German ship was
about, and told to slow up. During
the next three days. he said, his ship
made less than 800 knots. Then on
Wednesday came this relieving mes
sage through the air from the British
warship:
"The Eitel Friedrich has passed into
the Virginia capes and will never come
out alive
WATCHES EITEL CASE.