The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
Merchant Ships of Belliger- ent Enemies of Germany Barred From Newport News Temporarily
TIME LIMIT FOR CRUISER TO ACT
 EXPIRES TODAY
Must Leave American Port by 11:40 O'Clock This
 Morning or Be Interned
 Until the War Is Over

Newport News. April G.--shortls be- fore midnight tonight everything ap- penred to he in readiness for the Ger man auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel to leave this port and the neutral waters of America. Collector of Customs Hamilton, who had visited the EiteI farewell by the officers. The first of ficer invited him to stay aboard, say ing; 'I wish you would remain and go with us.''
 Newport News, Va, April 6.--rhe way for the German merchant raider Prinz Eitei Friedrich to leave neutral waters was cleared today by the United states government.
 Orders were given to pilots not fo take the merchant ship of any bcIIis- ercnt enemy of Germany out of Norfolk and Newport News untl further notice. The order went into effect about II o'clock today following a direction by British authorities last night to Brit ish captains not to clear their ships after noon of any day.
 The governments action served to arouse the British authorities consider ably particularly when apepals for in- formation as to when the plotting ban would be lifted met with no explanation Although no official interpretation of the government order could be procured, it generally was understood that the time had expired which had been allotted the Prinz Eitel Friedrich for repairs and that merchant ships of belligerents had been detained in port in order to extend liberty for departure to the German cruiser.
 Surprising was the development In this connection that holding up of British ships last Friday night for "A hours, thus giving the first period of liberty to the Eitel Friedrich, had not been brought about by the United States government. According to authentic information here it was the result of direct action by the British government, through consuls at these ports.
 First Definite Step
 Today's action was the first definite step by the United States to open the course to the for the Prinz Eitel. Captain Therichens, commander of the cruiser which destroyed commerce of the allies. and. incidentally, the American ship Will liam P. Frye, called on Collector of Gus toms Hamilton late in the afternoon. Later the collector visited the comman- der on board the German cruiser.
 Whether the German commander would take advantage of the opportunity af- forded him to get back to the high seas could not be ascertained. Conflicting ru- mors still persisted Some were to the effect that the ship would attempt to dash by the British and French war ships lying in wait for her off the Vir- gnia capes, while others maintained that the commerce destroyer had been interned at noon today, and would be taken to the Norfolk navy yard for safety within d day or two.
 Reports that the ship actually had been interned were given little credence be- cause of the continued activity of Ameri- can government officials in watching de- velopments. The navy patrol of the ship yard continued, while the Dattleship Ala bama maintained her vigil in Hampton Roads as the guardian of neutrality.
 The order to the pilots held in port about seven ships, among them a Bel- gian relief vessel, Cambrian King, and the Russian stea mer Altal The others were British grain and horse ships. Several British captains and British Vice Consul Kenworthy called Collector Hamilton today to ask permission to sail early to- morrow. They also asked for the reason of the general order. At this conference it developed that directions had been given to merchant commanders through the British consuls for steamer to sail in the evening of any day and until the fol- lowing morning.
 Time Ends Today
 Since this order however, it developed that the United States had directed pilots not to take out any allied belligerent mer- chantmen until further notice. The last British ship left this port at Il 40 Monday It was the steamer Orthia, with 600 horses. The 24-hour period of liberty for the Eitel therefore, it is calculated here. will end at II 40 o'clock tomorrow If the s?rinz Eitel has not cleared port by that time it is insisted she will be in- termed for the period of the European war and will be sent to the Norfolk navy yard
 That the Prinz Eitel was prepared for departure tonight was undoubted but that she would attempt to rush through the fleet of allied warshlps off, the Virginia capes seemed almost incredible to per- sons in close touch with the situation The captain of the British steamer Nu- bian, which arrived during the day. re- ported that he had passed as he came into the capes four British warships and one French cruiser.
 Commander Thierichens tonight would not indicate what he intended to do. The crew of his ship was engaged throughout the day in scraping and painting the Ei- teps hull.
 Late in the day the battleship Ala bama. guarding the approach to Hamp- tos- Roads from Norfolk and Newport News, shifted her 'davits to afford free dom for her gun turrets. and the ship was cleared for action. Explanation for this was that the government had de- termined that no British ship should leave port. The Alabama's searchlights we're operated necessarily. flashing up the Elizabeth and James rivers at fre- uuent intervals.
 At the Newport News shipyard, where the Eitol lay tonight almost total dark ] ness prevailed