Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-10

red and white stripes with the coat-of-
arms of the town, the key in the cor
ner. This key is the sign that we have
opened the gates which Great Britain
tried TO shut upon us and the trade
of the world. The gates which we
opened with this key will not be shut
again. Open door to the trade of the
world and freedom of the oceans and
equal rights to all nations on the
oceans will be guaranteed by Ger
many's victory in this struggle for our
existence"
Not Chased Once
Captain Konig's own story of the
Deutschland's voyage across the ocean
was told to newspaper correspondents
soon after he made public his pre-
pared statement. He laughed at stories
of his being chased far off his course
by enemy vessels and declared that
during the entire trip the vessel trav-
eled submerged only about ninety
miles.
Held to Course
"I have seem" said the captain,
Statements that we were forced to go
hundreds of miles out of our course in
the Atlantic because of British war
ships. That is not so. We came to
Hampton Roads by the straight course.
We covered $500 miles. OF that dis
tance 80 miles were driven under the
surface.
Throughout the entire trip the
officers and crew were in excellent
health and spirits. OF course when
we were under water for long spells
the air got very stuffy sometimes ana
there was some inconvenience, but 1t
never was serious. The Deutschland
is built to stay under water for four
consecutive days.
Rides Eeasy and Steady
THE ship is much easier to ride In
than a torpedoboat destroyer; much
steadier. Nothing can happen to her,
she is so perfectly built. OF course
she rolls little. Any nation that can
build a ship like the Deutschland can
do what we did"
The German commander talked with
the smiling enthusiasm of child and
his eyes fairly glittered as he related
the principal incidents of his remark
able feat.
There is little to tell of the trip"
he continued. I'VE left Heligolan on
June 23 and steamed on the surface
into the North Sea. Before sailing we
conducted trial trips and drills for the
crew for ten DAYS or two weeks. had
never been on a submarine voyage and
the training I had all was received in
the practice trips.
Never Close to Warships
Everything went without incident
the first day, but on the second day in
the North Sea we were in the zone of
the British cruisers and destroyers.
We sightd their smoke frequently, but
only dived when we thought there was
danger of our being detected. We did
submerge several times in the North
Sea, staying under sometimes two
hours and sometimes less. Every time
we came to the surface, If all looked
we'll, we kept on going. We saw no
British battleships in the North Sea,
only cruisers and destroyers.
I'VE did not on the entire trip come
into close proximity with any man-of-
war. We avoided them all. 1t was
very simple.
Through English Channel
From the North Sea we went
straight through the English Channel
which is alive with warships and on
the night of the fourth day, we sub
merged and remained still all night
on the ground, on the bottom of the
channel. There were lots of cruisers
near us we knew and it was very
foegy. So we thought it wise not to
take any chances and l gave the
order to submerge for the night and
until there should be clearer weather.
The next morning all was well and we
proceeded through the channel into
the Atlantic.
Financial Success
"Our trip has demonstrated that the
big merchant submarine is practical
and that it has come to stay. We ex-
pect the venture to be a great financial
success. This ship can carry cargo
of 1, 90 tons and on this trip carried
$50 tons of dyestuffs, valued at ST.
100000. The charges for the ship
nent alone will pay for the cost of the
Deutschland, about $500,000. On this
trip we carried no mails, nor did we
carry money or securities. Also we
came without insurance.
1--WE can go back again carrying
whatever cargo there is for us to
take. And we can go without taking
on any oil here. And I want to say
that 1t will be Just as easy to go back.
We will have no difficulty getting out
of the Capes, that is If British war
ships do not break neutrality and
come within the three mile limit to
attack us. How soon we shall leave
do not know"
Can Submerge 800 Feet
Captain Konig said that the
Deutschland was built for submersion
to a depth of 800 feet. The captain
saiu he had been in the merchant
service for many years.
First of Fleet
Definite announcement that the
great German submarine merchant
man Deutschland, which reached
Chesapeake bay yesterday, is the first
of a fleet of such craft built to ply
regularly in the trans Atlantic trade
was made here early today by Captain
Paul Konig, master of the super sub
marine.
This is not the only one that is
coming" said the captain. Just
wait. There will be more here soon
and we are going back for another
cargo. We are going to have a regu-
lar line"
Shortly after o'clock, when day
light was beginning to show family
through heavy low-lying clouds and
steady drizzling rain, a boat with
health and custom officials aboard put
out from the quarantine station and
went alongside the submarine. The
municipal health officer, DIR. Thomas
L. Richardson, the skipper presented
his bill of health, issued to him by
William Thomas Fee, United States
consul at Bremen on June II.
Engaged in Freight Trade
The document described the
Deutschland as "a vessel engaged in
the freight trade between Bremen and
Boston or other eastern Atlantic
ports" 1t records her gross tonnage
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