The Washington times., 1916-02-03

British prisoners and arrange for their
transportation when released.
Collector Hamilton thcTeupon sug-
gested conference ashore, and to per-
NIT this Prince Won Hatzfeldt. cOuu-
selor of the German embassy, gave per-
mission for the immediate release OF
the governor. three high British coloni-
al officials, together with the captains
of all the ships captured by the Moewc.
except Captain Harrison. original COM
mander OF the Appam, who, with his
crew. the Germans insisted upon re-
garding as improper subjects, under in
ternational law, for landing before a
ruling from the State Department.
A further compromise was made by
which the purser of the Arpam, after
giving his parole. was granted permis-
sion to represent his ship at the con-
ference. with the understanding that nc
would return to the Appam.
This last compromise was made after
the collector had come ashore with
Prince Won Hatzfe1dt. The waiting
room and offices of the steamboat
wharf were pressed into service, Prince
Won Hatzfeldt occupying one room,
Captain Gaunt, the British naval at
tache. another, and Collector Hamilton.
camps.
Carried To the Ship.
As soon as the details % the early
release of the British colonial officials
and the shipmaster were seettld, two
launches. crowded to the rails. put of
from the Government pier.
The first was the customs boarding
launch. carrying Collector Hamilton.
Prin2 H6tZfeldt and q score of ncws-
pcpermen, who believed that there
might. at Last. he a chance of getting
The second launch. following closely,
carried Capt. Guy Gaunt, the British at
tache. and British Nive Consul Royds.
When the custom launch drew along
side the Abrams landing stage. the
great black liner. docks deserted, rode
in chill driving rain. nut no sooner
had the German official started up the
ladder than many OF the Appam'h prs
of their. confinement. thronged the
decks. while others thrust their heads
from the port holes.
A fresh-faced German sailor lad ran
hurTiedly down the ladder to beg for
newspapers His arms full. he raced
back to the ship smiling and shouting
to hiR fellows.
In moment the Nig steamer was
background for smiling faces. even tho
dourfaced sentry at the top Of tho
ships ladder. forgot to warn the priy-
oners TO withdraw from the rails.
youth cried. and his request passed
along the rail l'ntil every men was call
ing for a smoke.
Two or three attempts were made bv
the ncwspapermen to toss UP packages
of cigarettes but no headwav was made
until some OF the prisoners on the boat
deck, obtaining some short strands Of
morline. knotted them together and
lowered away to the launch wehere the
reporters were.
Entente COrdiaIe.
Soon almost every man in the ranks
OF the prisoners had a smoke glowing
between his lips. and. cordial relations
havinf; thus been esta blished. the pris-
oners, now regarded with amused toler-
ance instead OF the usual displeasure
by their German sailor iailers, freely an
swered the multitude Of questions 1unE
at them by the newspapermen as to
character of the mysterious raider
MoeWe. her armament. and the adven-
lures OF the prisoners on their long
Partial lifting of the cloak OF mys-
terry which has surrounded the VOYAGE
OF the Appam and Of her captor served
only to add to the general bewilder-
ment
Not a single statement was made that
was not Immediately denied, and both
statement and denial invariably came
from absolute authoritative" sources.
Possibly the best example Of the ut
ter lack of coordination came yester-
day afternoon when Collector Hamilton
was asked II newspaper men might
board the Appam.
piled the collector. "the Government
has absolutely no objection to any OF
you going aboard. But. of course you
will have TO- fix It up with the German
Five minutes later Prinz Won HAITI
feldt was asked the same question and
heard just as readily:
1T am so sorry. but the Government
- s~Nvv - - 80
orders that no one is to go aboard ex-
cept officials"
The Composite Story.
Out of the maze of contradictions and
re-contradictions. however, a story has
been extracted that seems fairly cred
ible. 1t Is not authoritativ II is sim
ply a composite story CLEANED from the
most plausible and least disputed state
ments.
1t is generally believed here that the
cruiser which captured the Appam and
seven other ships in eight days was the
Moewe. built in Germany and originally
designed for the banana trade. Prinz
Won Hatzfeldt declares absolutely that
she was the Moewe. She was a vessel of
$3.50 net tonnage, and was 45O feet long,
She was equipped with powerful en-
Gines, and was capable OF a speed OF
eighteen knots.
BY means of false bulwarks fore and
aft the Moewe could be converted into
peaceful looking tramp. But at a
moments notice she could drop the
cast-iron plates that concealed her bat
teTies and become an actual warship
There was much discrepancy Of opin-
ion concerning the exact armament she
carried, but It is probable that she had
two 81 or 6-inch guns forward, four
more aft, and two torpedo tubes
None except the Germans know where
the Moewe came from or how long she
had been at sea, She made her first
public appearance on January 12 sink
ing the British steamers Author Ar
iadne, Dromonby, Farringford and Ira
der and capturing the Corbridge as a
collier in quick succession, and taking
the crews aboard.
She was cruising around the west
coast of Africa all OF this time Then
on the 18th she sighted the Appam.
ReEardinE the capture OF the Appam.
II is purely a case OF the Germans word
against the Britishers.
Lieutenant BerEe stands pat on the