The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-01
Cruiser Believed Hurriedly Preparing For Departure
 From American Port
APPROACH TO PIER IS
 EFFECTIVELY BARRED
No One Allowed Near Raider As the Crew Hurriedly Prepare Her De- parture-Commander Re-
 fuses to Talk

oef supervision of the United States navy, the German merchant raider Prinz Eitei Friedrich tonigbf ss fill ing her bunkers with coy esAteen hundred tons were deliver, C. .;sng~ide on barges late in the day :S<vsthe crew immediately began trs z ring the coal to the cruiser. %
 When the barges arr at the ship yard where the Eitel 0 Erich is moored orders were at once a q to bar all ap- breaches for the 7 Captain Thie- riehens requested Washington gov ernment to furnish 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 the land entrances to the yard were effectively barred.
 Particular orders were issued by of ficials of the shipyard to permit no news paper man to enter the plant Efforts to gain admission even before dark were unavailing Attempts to get near the pier by launch in the James river also We're frustrated
 coaling the ship was begun about 5 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 late hour the sailors labored to patriotic mu- sical accompaniment. At the rate the ship was being coaled it was estimated that the supply allotted by the American government would be in the vessels bunlxers before morning.
 Permitted to Coal
 Permission was given Commander Thierichens to coal after conference in Norfolk late yesterday, attended by Rear Admiral Beatty, commandant of the Nor folk navy yard; Rear Admiral Helm. commander of the reserve Atlantic fleet. whose flagship, the Alabama. guards Hampton Roads tonight, and Norman R. Hamilton, collector of customs for this port. Collector Hamilton came here from T, Ssf i is4st 5s3. At f5as Dalgss .:i Commander Thierichens. The collector returned to Norfolk tonight. but will be here again tomorrow.
 What Commander Thierichens proposes to dc stili remains a mystery. The coal be 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 naval apportion- ment Many rumors were circulated as to the future course of the Eitels com m9nder. report given credence tonight was that the German captain had asked for pilot Another report was he wished to have his ship piloted to the Norfolk n Int va c reported that he proposed before many days to make a dash for sea in a daring attempt to run the blockade of British and French warships off the Virginia cares. Why he should desire so much fuel if he intends to intern his snip was explained in one source on the ground that he wished to make it appear up to the very last minute that he intends to depart in order to hold the allies war ships off the capes.
 Messages Interchanged
 Washington authorities are known to be thoroughly aware of the intentions of the Eitefs commander. Messages were inter- changed late In the day between the treas ury department and customs officers here. and tile navy department and navy yard commandant at Norfolk. That the Etel would make no attempt to leave her dock tonight was generally conceded. In fact. she would not be permitted to depart be- cause several British merchant ships cleared Newport News today. Under neutrality regulations, therefore. the Eitel could not leave port until late to- mf rrow.
 Information from the ship itself is va riablo Officers and men when they come ashore or talk to friends do not agree. Some insist the comma nder will brave the gauntlet of the enemy warships Others assert they believe the ship will be in- termed. One man who has paid frequent visits to the Eitel Friedrich asserted to- night that there was no question that the cruiser would put to sea.
 Throughout the night, while the Prinz Eitel was being coaled, Amer ican sailors in United States naval launch patrolled the waters of the James river and prevented approach to the cruisers pier.
 Whether the launch came from the battleship Alabama or the Norfolk navy yard could not be fascertained In- quiries at the navy yard met with no response.
 Around the Eitel was great activity The big cruiseryfiiad moved out later ally from her pier. There were coal barges on either side and coaling oper- ations were fin full blast under the glare of electric arc lamps While there was every indication that the Eitel was preparing to leave port reports Were current that something decisive con corning her mysterious status would occur early tomorrow. but that It would not be g dash to sea.
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