The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-07-11

Such information as was available
came indirectly from the pilot anC
from Captain Hans f. Hinsch of tho
North German Lloyd liner Neckar, lait
up here since the beginning of the
war. Captain Hinsch boarded the
Deutschland from the Timmons and
made the trip up the bay with her.
According to the accounts reaching
here the underwater liners super
structure was standing fifteen feet
above the water when she came in
Until daylight she showed no flag, but
the German merchant ensign was
raised at sun-up. Stories were circu-
lated that British or French cruisers
chased her at sea Thursday, but could
not be confirmed.
The boat is consigned to A. Schu-
macher & Co., local agents of the
North German Lloyd Line, and her
cargo to the Eastern Forwarding COM
pany, a concern said to have been or
ganized within the past few weeks es-
pecially to handle the business of UNI
der-water liners. The latter company
has a pier and warehouse, in which
are stored the goods to be loaded on
the Deutschland for her return trip.
In German quarters here the news
of the submarines arrival was hailed
with the keenest delight by those who
knew of her coming and who had been
concealing alarm for two or three
days, as she was due to arrive about
the middle of last week. 1t is under
stood that she travelled more than
1000 miles, going some 500 miles out
Of her course to avoid enemy ships.
The Deutschland is no converted
war craft, but brand-new commerce
carrier. owned in Bremen and sent
here on a purely commercial mission
according to Henry G.. Hilken, the Sc
nior member of the Schumacher con-
Germ. She belongs to the Ocean
Rhederei, Limited Ocean Navigation
Company, Limited. and was launched
at Kiel in March.
The novel project was conceived
about nine months ago. Mr.. Hilken
said, by F. A. Lohmann, head Of a
Bremen exporting and importing con-
Germ, who organized the Ocean Navi-
cation Company. Mr.. I.ohmann is the
son of a former Director General of
the North German Lloyd Steamship
Company and has the important Ger
man commercial interests associated
with him.
The undersea liner. Mr.. Hilken UNI
derstands, is about 3l5 feet long and
80 feet beam and is propelled by two
great Heisel oil engines. She is as
large, if not larger, than any of the
German naval submarines and carries
$50 tons dead weight of cargo. AS to
details of her construction, Mr.. Hill
ken said he was lacking in informa-
ton
most of the information which was
sent to me-" he said, sis probably
carefully tucked away in a pigeon-hole
of the British Admirably office, but
don't care now. The Deutschland is
here nevertheless.
Mr.. Hilken is an American and his
firm has been in business here OPP
Grating ships under the American flag
since 1924. Carl A. Luederitz, the
German Consul, is a member OF the
firm.
To whom the Deutschland's cargo is
consigned Mr.. Hilken said he did not
know, but he believed 1t was going to
a number of concerns badly In need of
dyestuffs.
When she will return, whether 1t is
planned to have her make regular
transatlantic trips, Mr., Hilken re-
fused 10 discuss.
This project was conceived" he
said. "by German commercial interests
who wanted TO reopen trade with the
United States. We need some Of Ger
manys commodities and Germany
needs some of ours. II is a purely
commercial proposition and that is all
there is 10 il. The time has not yet
come when zeppelins can cross the
ocean, so these Bremen merchants
thought they would try a submarine.
Il have kept the secret, OF course, all
this time TO insure the project. We ex-
pected her several days ago. Her crew
must have endured great hardship.