Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-11
GERMAN CRUISER
AT NEWPORT NEWS
Prinz Eitel Friedrich Puts In at
American Port for Coal and
May Be informed.
SAID TO BE IN NEED OF REPAIR

SAID TO BE IN NEED OF REPAIR
NEWPORT NEWS, Va, March 10.
The German auxiliary cruiser
Prinz Eitel Frederick, another OF
the elusive German sea rovers, which
have been hindering commerce Of the
allies or the seven seas, slipped into
port here early today, presumably
eluding the British and French
cruisers along the coast in need Of
repairs, coal and provisions for its
crew and with more than 800 prison
ers taken from prizes.
Last night alter dark the German ship
appeared off Cape Henry, but did not
enter until after daylight, when it passed
quarantine and dropped anchor at this
port. All its officers preserved tile strict
est silence. Its captain dispatched a
message telling of his arrival to the Ger
man embassy in Washington The United
states coast guard ship onondaga went
alongside to take up its watch to pre-
serve the neutrality Of the United States
until officials at Washington decide what
shall be done with the Prince EiteI Freid-
erich.
Painted White and Black.
Scared by the red rust and salt of It's
months at sea, the German auxiliary was
painted white on one side and black on
the other. 1t was reported in marine cir
cles that the Eitel Friedrich had been
chased to the three-mile limit by a Brit
fish cruiser. but as the German captain
had sealed the lips of his officers, Il was
not confirmed.
Marine circles were startled when the
Tong, slick ship, easily distinguishable by
the lines OF North German Lloyd
liner, steamed up the bay and into Hamp-
ton roads
The PrinE Eitel Friedrich has three
sight-inch guns and ten five-inoh guns.
It carries a crew Of $50 men and thirteen
Ufficres.
Asks About Repairs.
Within an hour after the Prinz Estel
9lad arrived In Hampton Roads a request
was made to the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry Docks company for
Information whether the concern could
at once begin work on repairs The ship
building company Immediately com
1nunicated the request to the Navy de-
partment at Washington and asked
whether the United States would have
any objection.
Rear Admiral Beatty, commanding the
Norfolk navy yard, after reporting the
arrival Of the German cruiser. received
instructions from Secretary Daniels to
makes an investigation and send him a
fun report
Rudolph Schulz, representative of q
Nonolk ship chandler went alongside
the Prinz Eitel Friedrich at Old Point.
The commander OF the German cruiser
made some inquiries of him and indicated
mat he meant to go TO the Newport
news ship yard. The German captain
sad that there had been trouble with
sohhe OF the machinery. He declined to
say whether he would intern the vessel
MT Schulz said he counted twelve guns.
hoout nve-inch caliber aboard tbs
steamer and that there were MANY ms
sensers aboard including women and
BeEtns War Career In Far East,
The auxiliary cruiser, Prinz EiteI Fried.
rich started out on its career as a war
snip from Using Tau. 1t formerly was a
regular liner OF the North German LLOYD
line. 1t reached Using Tau shortly after
the outbreak Of hostillties, and the Ger
man marine authorities at that mort
equipped it with naval guns and turned Il
into an auxiliary cruiser. 1t sailed from
rising Tau before the Japanese attack on
that port and early in November II was
reported or the western coast of South
America. where for several months IL
has been active in the pursuit OF British
ana French shipping. One of its exploits
was the sinking. early in December. Of
the British steamer Charcas off Chile.
japanese cruisers have been described
as searching for this German vessel per-
sistentiy' but they never could find II.
inc records do not show when 1t entered
me south Atlantic. Had 1t come through
the straits OF Magellan, the prevailing
censorship might have prevented news of
JUS movements becoming known. DeaIr-
ing to avoid the straits II could hav.
come around Cape Horn.
Ship May Have to inferno.
WASHINGTON March I0-AccordinR
to the doctrine laid down by the American
government in cases similar to that OF
the Prinz Eitel Friedrich the collector Of
customs at Norfolk must give the com.
msnder of the German ship twenty. -four
hours from the time OF his arrival "a
take coal and provisions.
II the ship needs repairing, however, I,
has longer respite. In that case the
naval constructor at the port will decide
what would be a reasonable time to make
the repairs and the German ship would
be given twenty-four hours In addition
to that time
Similar cases rose in connection with
the German gunboat which was informed
at Honol'& after repairs to its machin-
cry, and the steamer Farm at San Juan
Porto Rico.
Officials here were OF the opinion thai
the presence of British and French cruik
ers close on the Atlantic coast might In
. huenee the German commander to do
eide to inferno his ship.
AS to any prisoners Of war the German
ship may have aboard. it is possible the,
may be paroled.
Wants California