The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-01
LOST BRITISH SHIP TURNS UP
ON THIS SIDE Of THE OCEAN

OF the passengers in being held closely
to their state rooms. Details were
also lacking on what measures were
taken by the few Germans to prevent
mutiny and being overpowered by the
overwhelming crew OF the captured
Irize.
That the Appam would be interned
as German prize Of war was gen.
orally believed. Naval and interna-
tional law would give her chance to
depart after being provisioned and any
necessary repairs made, but 1t was re-
garded certain that the object of the
Germans had been attained in bring.
ing the Appam to this port, where two
German raiders, the Prinz Eitel Fried
rich and Kron Prinz Wilhelm, are now
interned.
Many novel points Of international
maritime law were raised by the cir
cumstances OF the Appam's capture.
For the first time since the war be-
gan and also in the history of all
naval warfare, naval officials declared
the question Of disposition of the Brit
ish passengers and crew was unset
tied.
Instructions from Washington were
asked today by the commandant of the
Norfolk navy yard, the customs col
lector and immigration officials. The
treasury department must decide
whether an internment order shall be
made and whether the British offers
and crew shall be interned or released.
That an application for internnient
of the vessel, as a German prize un-
til the war ends, would be made. was
Indicated early today by officials who
boarded the Appam upon her arrival.
II interned, the German crew will
also ta held prisoners for the term Of
the war. They viii probably be left
aboard the Appam. - N. !,
& advice was aisosrequeeteat to-day 6f'
the state department to definitely de-
termine that the, Appam is a German
prize. Officials here expressed little
doubt on this score.
That the Appam was brought clear
across the Atlantic rather than risk
the danger OF running into the Gordon
of British war vessels between Gf-
braltar and the English channel was
the belief.
Safety Of the passengers was also
reported today to be one Of the con-
s1derations causing the Appam to
make for Norfolk, the British cruiser
patrol at the entrance to Hampton
Roads having been withdrawn for
many weeks. It was stated that the
Appam's course was several hundred
miles south OF the ordinary Atlantic
ship channels.
Captured by Raider.
NORFOLK, Va, Feb. 1.-The Brit
ish liner Appam, brought into this
port by a German prize crew early to-
day, was captured by a German mer-
chant raider not submarine, accord
ing to passengers on board. Passen-
gers, relating the details Of the cap
ture, which was as thrilling as any
pirate story, deny the report first re.
ceived py United States government
officials here.
The Appam, they said, was attack
ed and overcome January 10. off the
Canary islands by some armed mer-
chant vessel whose name could not be
learned and which disappeared after !
putting prize crew aboard the liner
The German prize crew. in charge OF
Oscar Berg, will not tell |
the name or nature of the boat with !
which they attacked the Appam.
Early in the morning of January is.
the unknown vessel appeared close at
hand and fired several shots across |
the bow of the British liner, passen-
gers said So close were the two
vessels that when the stranger finally
stopped the Appam, she was across
The latter's bow.
One of the Appam's life boats was
crushed between the two vessels. Tho
ooarders scrambled upon the Appams'
ieck and bloody fighting ensued. Sew
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