The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-08

Some of Ter plates inside had not
even been painted when l saw her"
Capt. Barton said. "She is a trim, fast
boat with a single funnel and mas her
mold being fitted for fruit. Her guns,
six of them, probably are 81 inches
gore. Four of them are mounted for
ward, masked by collapsable steel
forecastle, which falls away when the
ship gets within range of her prey.
Two others are aft, one of them on the
poop and both so placed that they are
not readily observed.
Although l was confined below deck
during most of my stay on board, [
was given considerable liberty and
managed to make rather complete
inspection. On plate below the name
'Ponga' was engraved and several of
US saw the same name on papers in
the commanders cabin"
Seven Ships Taken in Four Days.
81 was on the boat beginning the
night of January 18th, my ship ha7ing
been captured a few hours after the
raider began her work by taking the
Farringford. The ship was manned by
crew of several hundred men, with
half dozen different names on their
caps. Whenever the German was after
prize all of US were kept below un-
der guard"
Except for minor details all the
stories of the capture of the Appam
I agreed. The liner sighted the German
January 18th. The raider was moving g
at fair rate of speed, but seemingly
making no attempt to make for the
Appam. Almost imperceptibly she be-
gan to gain speed and before Capt.
Harrison was aware that danger i'm
/ pended the German had changed his
course and sent warning shot across
the liners bow.
Capt. Harrison Immediately hove to.
The raiders forecastle had fallen away
exposing her battery of guns. A small
boat put out with a boarding party
dingy collars that the English party
came ashore.
Wanted q Good Neal.
The launch landed at dock seldom
used and the passengers hurried to-
ward the hotel for a conference with
the consul. But the conference was
not the thing that attracted them to
the hotel the most. They wanted some
thing more substantial and less salty
to eat than dppered herring and
cracks. And they got it, too.
Francis Charles Fuller, chief COM
missioner Of Ashanti, was the first
Englishman to set FOOT on American
soil. Smiling broadly, he stepped out
upon the hotel lawn, pacing back and
forth On the turf as eagerly as small
boy at the opening of the barefoot sea-
son. He told the first complete story
of the capture of the Appam and her
voyage across the Atlantic.
at was about midafternoon when
we, on the Appam, first saw the raider
approaching" he said. 81 do not be
lieve that she bore flag, but We
thought nothing of this, for it is not
uncommon for tramp out at sea to
lower her colors.
Then, suddenly, shot was fred
across the bow of our ship. The Ap-
pam stopped Immediately and the raid
er sped toward US.
Big Guns and Torpedo Tubes.
CAS- she advanced her false forecas-
tie fell away and her big guns stared
US in the face. Two torpedo tubes also
were discovered.
"Of course the passengers were
somewhat frightened. W did not know
if we were to be fired upon, and 50 We
Immediately began to make prepara-
tions to save ourselves in case our
ship was sunk.
soon, however, we were advised by
the officers that we should not be
harmed if we did not attempt to re-
sist and the passengers regained their
composure.
"From the first our captors treated
<us we'll. They placed bombs on the
ship, of course, as precautionary
measure, and the guards were armed,
but they were not offensive"
Commissioner Fuller said those on
the Appam saw but little Of the en-
gagement which ended in the sinking
of the Clan MacTavisn, as she was
too far away.
"I oon mot cav fIat no rticu1ar7y on