The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-02-03

There were twenty-five men in the
prize crew under Lieutenant Berge
and some twenty Germans on board
the liner bound Cor prison camps IN
England which were pressed into
service.
Tie Appam was the seventh Eng
lish vessel taken in a period OF four
days, all the operations ACQUIRING
less than 200 miles off the coast OF
Spain On January IL. the steamers
Corbridge and Farringford. were over
hauled about $50 miles northwest OF
CAPE Finisterre: on January l3 the
Dronlonby. Author. Trader and AFRAID
ne were taken in the Atlantic still fur
Their 10 sea and northward.
II was about sunset on Saturday
when the Appam was captured
Throughout night and into the next
DAY the raider followed her closely
and on the evening OF January 20 she
drew away TO attack the British steam
90 Clan MacTavish. Accounts differ
as TO the distance from the Appam
that the attack upon the MacTavish
took place. II is variously estimated
at f:om five to ten miles. but flashes
OF :ire were visible from the liner.
Only the prize crew. however. had a
fair view OF the capture. for the pas
Sengers and other prisoners were
kept below ccoks and glimpses through
portfolios had TO satisfy them.
Details Unavailable.
Details of what happened are still
unavailable as the Germans refuse 20
talk. II appears. however. that the
MacTavish mounting a little six-pound-
er on her bow. attempted resistance
and was subjected 10 heavy fire
from the raiders big guns. Fifteen Of
her men were killed and many wound
ed before the merchantmen went
down. There were two interior ex-
plosions as she sank. The fate OF
the master of the MacTavish is un-
known. but he is belived to be with
many OF his crew on board the raider
The Appam steered close but was or
dered back Later four of the Mac
Tavish's crew. three of them severe.
ly wounded. were sent aboard the liner
in a small boat
Then the prize crew headed the
Appam westward and preceded IN
company with the raider until the next
morning. Just when the raider disap-
peared and what direction she took
IS unknown to the Englishmen and
there has been no word OF her since
that day. January Il.
The Appam, according to the Eng.
lishmen, appeared To be steering a
straight westward course until some
time Monday night. when she began 20
zig gag near the three mile limit off
the Virginia capes. She took fifteen
days OF the journey. steaming only
about nine knots an hour most of the
time. She carried no flag. following
the habit of many British merchant
meB but Is said TO have displayed
British colors as she entered the Nir-
ginia capes.
During the long cruise many OF the
passengers had no idea where they
were nor what their destination might
be. but the experienced British skip
pers had no difficulty IN following the
course fairly accurately by their por.
hole surveys of the stars. They soon
decided what the prize commander
was about and were not surprised
when the ship hove TO for a pilot AT
the entrance TO the Chesapeake In
1 che meantime the liner had run up
the German naval ensign. which still
flies over her stern TO give her status
IN American waters the German Off
cials explain.
va AaN f'~'fIh HN ana IhudA hI'll
near dark when the British vice CON
sui appeared alongside in launch
with Collector Hamilton and Captain
Gaunt. naval attache Of the British
embassy q Washington ain on board
the liner save the prize crew We're
totally ignorant OF what efforts were
being made toward fixing che status
OF The ship and arranging for tnel.
release. There was some rostlessuess
and few comments about red tape
ANA slowneSs ON the part of the Off
Cials lon Wa hiustOu. bur most of thc
passenger accepted ftc situation phil
o-ophicaUN
Larders Replcnished
Overnight several boat loads of food
had been taken aboard to repieni-h
the iUder~ That were v"I uigL empty
when the ship appeared Yesterday
P"rmi sion ha been given for thc
loadin- Of 400 prov. ions and water
necessary hlt Tho question OF full
provisioning BE- held bon allegiance with
The other problems O. the vessels
status.
Prince HATFIELD Of the German
embassy and Captain Gaunt Tho Brit
i-h attlch". arrived on Norfolk thi.
morning Then events which led no
fo the arrangements FOR release ~
the pa -euecr- and British sailors
followed rapidly
While Captain G1unf conferred with
local British vice consul-. The Prince
hurried t0 fhe home of che German
vice con ul Won SDhIUire who had in.
trrviowed Lieutenant BERG YESTERDAY
I'. .r.. .a. optimistic because he
believed fh" state department a,