New Britain herald., 1915-04-12
KRONPRINz WILHELM
 CHASED INTO PORT
 BYBR|TISn WARSH|PS
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I
 sank fourteen ships, which with their cargoes were valued at $7,OOo,0o0. l Nine of the vessels were British, four French and one Norwegian. Nearly a l thousand prisoners were taken. This | was accomplished with only four guns. two taken from the German cruiser Karlsruhe and two captured from a British merchant vessel. Outbreak of Beri-Beri.
 The Kronprinz Wilhelm was forced to come into port because of an out break of the dread beri beri, and for supplies and repairs Sixty-six of the crew and prisoners, i'll of the disease, were to be taken to hospitals today. They include sixty-one members of the British steamers Tamar ana CNoleby, sunk recently.
 One hundred and fifty tons of coal, fifty tons of fresh water and three days supply of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables were loaded on barges during the night and were alongside the cruiser at sunrise. These supplies were allotted the raider by Collector of Customs Hamilton after confer ence with the Washington authorities.
 Machinery All Right.
 Lieutenant Commander Thlerfelder of the cruiser has asked for time to survey his ship and to submit to eX- animation by board of United states naval officers before making a formal request as to the time he wishes to remain in American waters for full supplies and repairs. His machinery after the 255 days voyage from New York harbor is said to be in fairly good condition, evidenced by the fact that the ship was able to make at least twenty-three knots an hour Sat- urday night and Sunday morning in her dash into Hampton Roads to evade enemy warships.
 Present Fresh Appearance.
 All was ship shape on board the Wilhelm at sunrise today, officers and sailors in the queer-looking gray uniforms of French army cloth cap- tured from the steamer Guareloupe, presenting a fresh appearance after the first undisturbed nights rest in eight months of persistent and elu- sive operations on the high seas.
 'It was a long voyage from New York to Newport News" said Lieu tenant Warneke, first officer of the Kronprinz Wilhelm; "but 1t was a pleasant voyage, and in all that time we never touched land. Always we were on the great big ocean and now at last we have arrived. Two hun dred and fifty-five days from New York to Newport News and the dis tance is only 250 miles; I wonder what can be the matter with this ship"
 The officer smiled at this joke.
 May Be International Case.
 Sinking by the Wilhelm of the neu- tral Norwegian bark Semantha, bound for Falmouth, February last, promised today to present an inter- national case similar to that precipi- tated by the sinking of the American Bark Wm. P. Frye by the German raider Prinz Eitel Friedrich, now in termed here. The Semantha was loaded with wheat for England The Norwegian ships cargo was contraband of war;" said Lieutenant Warneke when asked about the de- struction of this neutral ship today. "There was no alternative for us. The cargo of wheat was worth far more than the ship itself, and from the ships papers we found that the wheat was insured by the British government. What could we do? We had to destroy her."
 Investigation is icing made of the conditions under which the Kron pr1nz Wilhelm slipped out of New York harbor August last if being reported that she did not have proper clearance papers when she made her dash, as it now develops, under direct orders from the German government. Should it be found that the ship did not secure clearance papers she would be subject to pains and penalties,' for violation of the customs law of the United States.
 Prisoners Cooped up.
 The sixty odd prisoners now on board the Kronprinz Wilhelm still were cooped up in a space on the upper deck and guarded by armed sailors. Efforts to talk to the prisoners were prevented by the guards, but later today they will be brought ashore
 newspaper, taken on board and offered to one who begged for it in order to get news from home was confiscated by an officer. Several of .he prisoners, including Captain 1 Brighton, of the CoIeby, and Chief l Officer Mathews of the Tamar asked 1 that cable messages be sent to their l families in England but before the addresses could be secured the guard 1 intervened and rewspapermen were l ordered from that part or the ship. Mostly Naturalized Americans. The crew of the Kronpr1nz Wilhelm | is composed almost entirely of persons 1 composed almost entirely of persons | who are naturahzed Americans who have lived in the United States for