Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-08
Up to Last Moment Skipper
Keeps Up PretenSe That He
Expects to Make Dash to
Sea,
EXPECTED RELIEF DOES
NOT MAKE APPEARANCE
When Collector Of Customs Ap-
pears With Announcement
Of Time Limit, Commander
Hands Him Statement.

fef hoRNtNc JOURNAL tftciAA ltAtto WlHtl
Newport News, Va, April Com
mander Max Thierichens. OF the Ger
man auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel
Friedrich. asked the United states
government through port authorities
here tonight. to intern his ship and
crew. Up 60 the last moment the Ger
man skipper kept up The appearance
of being ready for Il dash to the sea,
and when the time for decision final
IN came, he explained that failure OF
expected relief" 10 arrive had made
It necessary To intern rather than
deliver the crew and ship TO fruit
less and certain destruction by Brit
ish and French warships waiting OH
the Virginia capes.
Tomorrow the commerce raider
viii make her last cruise OF the war.
She viii be taken 20 the Norfolk navy
yard, across Hampton Roads from
the ship yard here, where she has
been laid since llmping into port on
March 10, after the remarkable de-
stroyng voyage from the Orient, DUR
ing which she seIt the Ameri~an
ship William r. FRYE to the bottom
Carries Imperative Notice.
Collector OF Customs Hamilton
boarded the Eltel shortly after 7
o'clock tonight with an imperative
notice from the washington govern
ment that the time for his stay In
this port would expire at midnisht
tonight and that he must leave Amer
lican waters by o'clock on the morn
ing of April s. Before the customs
collector could deliver the message,
Commander Thieriehens handed MN
the written announcement OF his de-
cision.
This operated to lift the American
embargo against merchant ships or
Ian European nations. leaving this
port which had been in force since
yesterday. More than score of Brit-
ish merchant vessels were tmmedi-
ateiy permitted to leave port ana
customs houses at Newport News and
Norfolk were Kept open until 1880
O'Clock tonight issuing clearances
Put Ont of Commission.
ARRANGEMENTS for actual Intern
ment of the Eltei were made at q
conference between Rear Admiral
Beatty. eommandant OF the Norfolk
navy yard, Rear Admiral Helm, or
the battleship alabama, and collee-
tor Hamilton. On bcing taken 70 the
navy yard tomorrow the blocks OF
her guns viii he removed and CON
Meeting rods of her engines detached,
Following Is the announcement
handed Collector Hamilton by the
commanders
Il inform YOU | intend to intern
&. NJ S. Eitel Friedrich. The relief !
expected did not appear, SO the num-
Der and force of Che enemy cruisers
watching the entrance OF the pay
makes to me Impossible the dash for
the open sea with any hope of sue
cesa, | have decided not to deliver
crew and ship to fruitless and certain
destruction. Being obliged for the
courtesy shown by all United states
| am expecting your orders. nave
sent the same Information to Rear
Admiral ffelm, Z S. $. Alabama.
"Respectfully
(Sipned) "THlERICHENS."
spirit Of Gloom IN Cabin.
As the collector read this, spirit
of gloom seemed TO perVade the COM
the ship. Officers and crew were
d0wncast. -.
Commander Thierichens himself
declared that the action he had been
forced TO take made MIN sick; that ne
was heartbroken to be compelled 70
resort to such step. Unofficially nc
stated that he had mover intended 10
intern if It were possible to prevent III
that he had hoped for the arrival OF
German forces to do battle with the
British and French warships OFF the
American coast and thus clear the
way for his return to the open sea.
II would like TO have gone 70 sea
myself" Commander Thierchcns de-
clnred II would not hesitate to so.
but | had to think first Of my men,
Collector Hamilton delivered the
notice 20 Washington and informed
Beatty, who notified Admiral
Helm on board the battleship Ala
eamN. which was patrolllng the chan
mel to the sea, 10 prevent departure
)f the Eitel Friedrich from this port
ifter the hour set
Commander Thicrichens action
,ame at the close Of day filled with
Developments Up to the
ast few hours cf grace, the German
.aptaln had not said a word to Wash
ngton officials about internment. lie
lad coaled and provisioned his ship
Rerairs 10 her boilers had been made
md everything was prepared for q
lash to sea-
The decision Of the WASHINGTON
government as 70 the length of time
extended the Fltel Friedrich to re-
main in American neutral waters was
March 90 From these terms
he government nNer deviated. They
we're delivered TO Commander Thier-
ehens on that date ia a letter writ