The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-03-18

Newport News, Na.-There We're
two small German ~gunboais in the
Port OF Shanghai, China al the
time the war broke out, the Tiger
and the Luchs. Both were dismantl-
ed and their armament ana crews|
We're transferred to the Eitel Fried
rich.
Then. short of coal and provisions.
but duly commissioned by the Ger
man Imperial Government 10 sink,
burn and destroy the vessels OF the!
enemy, the new converted me hur-f
ried out OF port, lest neutrflity laws
detain her there, and began ner re-
cord breaking cruise that endeded
here.
First Prize OF Eitel.
The early part OF the journey out
of Shanghai WAS made existing by a
hot pursuit by British. Japanese and
French cruisers, but, gaining intel
ligence of their approximate where
abouts by the wireless talk OF the
p%ursuers. the German managed to
clude pursuit.
The vessel was but u week out OF
port when she sighted d steamer and
gave chase. Ii took her but a short
time to overhaul the stranger. which
proved to be the the British steam
ship Schargost. The cruisers great
est need hen was coal, ana their
greatest hope was that the prize
would have enough Tor their needs.
But to their great disappointment she
was not a collier and was almost out
OF coal herself. After transferring
her crew, the litcl sank her, and as
the Captain looked at his almost
empty Dunkers he realized that his
raid was destined to be short-liVcd
ii he could not rcplonish his coal
supply.
But day by day went by and no
sail. The vessel was outstanding her
scant supply of fuel as best she could,
and with only enough left to give
speed for "a chase, she sighted a big
sailing ship leisurely sauntering
down the wind. The Eitel laid her
self across the path of the stranger
and brought her TO with q shot across
the bow.
flowed Jean 1900 Miles
The prize proved to be the French
ship Jean, laden With 5000 tons OF
the best Cardiff coal and consigned
to the British naval forces in Eastern
waters. TO have found as many tons
of gold dust would have been re-
garded by the captors as a cheap
thing in comparison. BY means OF
SIildll DOdlS lIS Iih'i E'"4N w
enough to her bunkers TO keep her
engines going. and during the process
sighted another strange sail whose
topmast- showed Just above the hori-
Zon.
The Eitel gave chase, and a few
hours later the British sailing ship
kilaton was OF the Way 10 the bot
tom.
Returning to the n~eighborhood of
the Jean. Ahe Fitel took on more
coal, and then. running . hawser to
the Jean, too that vessel and her
precious cargo in tow ana brought
her through 1900 miles of seas to
the lee side of Easter island. There
the two were dashed together and
the coal transferred to the DunHers
of the cruiser. The emp,ied ship
thcn was sunk by a bomb. The crews
OF an their prizes were pu; ashore
at Easter Island. but not until after
it mad beer ascertained that there
was plenty OF food to supply their
wants.
Referring to his journal, Capt.
Mindt, who commanded the Eitel as
a; passenger vessel. found that the
cruiser had been within easy Wire
less reach of hat part OF the Ch1llan
coast off which Admiral Cradocks
SUlUUfpI mas DeSl SUM Wy thI ~"
man ships, and her wireless had
picked rp much OF the details of
that encounter.
The Eitel was then some hundreds
OF miles off the coast and heading
for Cane Horn. She rounded it in
the full OF an Atlantic gaze. with
enormous seas sweeping her decks
and giant icebergs washing past IN
the driving storms Of sleet and SNOW.
Up the Atlantic.
Ii was after emerging into Atlantic
waters that the wireless began to
record the presence OF hostile war
ships. They made out mat at least
eight Of these We're in h vicinity.
With so many around, the com
mandcr daring as he he. did not
thiuN that particular region a good
cruising ground for a lightly armed
and unarlnored cruiser, and sheered
off from the locality and nearer TO
the South American coast line.
A few days later the Russian bark,
Isabelle Brown, laden with saltpetre
from Chilli and bound to her home
port, was captured and sunk. Then
came the capture and destruction OF
the William p. Frye, and the Pierre
Lott. The Jacobsen. a French bark
hailing from Dunkirk, and pound lof
England, with a cargo OF o9,oVo OAKS
of barley. was taken and destroyed
The hunting ground off the shores
of the Southern ATLANTIC had so TAI
proved to be very good, Du- once
more the wireless of the warships
left 10 the southwark began 20 grow
i'm distinctness. and conveying 10 the
,,itel its cracking warning to move
She needed the warning and went.
There were no more adventures
until Feb. s, when she fell in with
the Norwegian bark Thalassa. After
an examination of her papers the
bark was permitted to go on hel
way.
Two days later the cruiser hat
better luck. She sighted and pur
sued a sail, which, upon being over
hauled. proved to be the British
lark Invercoe. hailing fram Aber
. D