Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-12
Met by Submarines

ed off Thimble shoals, after passing In
the Virginia capes early today. the
United States submarines, the GIL
and d.. met her. The appearance of
the submarines caused considerable
surprise among the crew. but there
was no demonstration as the little
vessels conveyed the German raider
to quarantine. where DR.. MacCaf-
ferty, United States quarantine officer.
boarded her. Commander Thierfelder
reported 66 of the crew and prisoners
were i'll with beri-beri and that they
be taken to a hospital.
Follows Eitei Friedrich
The Kronprinz William followed in
the wake Of the interned Prinz Eitel
Friedrich which arrived here a month
ago yesterday, after thrilling and eff
fectiVe operations for the German
arms In her raid 6f the seas since she
slipped out of New York harbOr Aug.
3 last, as German merchant and pas
scnger steamer, the KronprinZ Will
helm never touched land and took $50
prisoners from various vessels destroy
ed.
,f v,y.ic ant
to South American ports at different
times on German ships which met the
raider In response to wireless calls.
The 81 now on board who will be land
ed here tomorrow are British sailors
from the steamships lamar. destroyed
March rs. and Colcby. destroyed March
q last.
Victims of Wilhelm
The toll of destruction credited to
the Prinz Wilhelm included the fol-
lowing: British steamers Indian Prince
and La Correntina; French banks. I'm
ion and Anne De Britagne: British
steamer Bellevu. French steamer Mont
Agel: British steamers Hemisphere,
Potro. Highland Brae, British schoon-
or Wilfred NJ: French passenger
steamer lamar; British steamer Cole
by.
The British steamer Chasehill from
Newport for Pernambuco, was stopped
Feb. 20. 1915, and after part Of her car
go Of provisions had been requisitioned
by the cruiser, she was allowed to pro-
coed with 300 prisoners transferred
from tho Kronprinz.
Used But Four Guns
The raider brought as thrilling q
story as did the Eitel Friedrich. Her
record Of destruction, however. was
accomplished with only four guns,
two taken from the German cruiser
karlsruhe and two captured later
from the British merchant steamer La
Correntina, sunk Oct. Z. 1914.
Story Told by Over Lieutenant
The most connected story Of the long
voyage from New York-255 days in all
was told tonight by Over-L Lieut.. Alb
Warneke, the first officer who left New
York harbor with the ship.
I'VE left August 3 and put out into the
great big ocean," said Warnek. I'VE were
not warship then. but three days out,
Off the Bermudas, we met the German
cruiser Karlsruhe. We took from her
two three-inch guns, which we mounted
on the bow of the ship and took Lieut..
Capt. Thierfelder. her navigating officer,
to command our ship. We also took II
Of the Karlsruhes officers and men,, took
on more coal and provisions and put to
sea.
We made for the South Atlantic and
the first ship we encountered was the
British ship Indian Prince. which we
sank Sept. 4, 1914. From that time on
we remained on the ocean. destroying
the enemy where we might find her.
British Premier "kind"
II want to say that Sir Edward Grey.
the British premier, has been kind to us
and If Great Britain had been organized
as we'll as we were to patrol the South
Atlantic we never could have remained
alive these many months. Sir Edward
Grey sent us those two big guns on our
after deck. He sent them to us on the
British steamer La Correntna on Octo-
Der Z. When we got those four-inich
guns we felt pretty safe. La Correntina
could not use her guns because she
didn't have any ammunition.
I'VE didn't give her battle because she
was helpless. but after We took her guns
and what of her cargo we wanted, we
put some bombs into her and down she
went. We made ammunition for her
guns on board ship. Some of the mer-
chant ships We sank with our own guns
some We blew up with bombs, and in
some cases We were compelled to ram
the ships also.
Sir Edward Grey was also kind to us
In sending us coal. for we took on board
from enemy ships during our voyage
more than $1,000 tons. We were a pe
culiar looking crowd until France come
to our rescue with the uniforms we wear.
We made the uniforms for all our mer.
chant crew from cloth captured from the
French steamship Guadeloupe Feb. q
The color is not exactly German. but
the cloth is good. We wanted dark blus
but could find only this grey blue. and 80
you see we are strange looking German
sailormen today. From the Guadaloupe
We also got shoes, leather and thousands
or dollars worth of things which were IN
their way for the French army. toll
you the sinking Of the Guadaloupe was n
bad stroke for the French.
"Worst" Act by U. S.
Lieut., Waneke was asked il the Will