New-York tribune., 1916-07-20
Captain Hears British
Have Lowered Nets
as Traps.
SAILORS PETITION
FRIENDS PRAYERS
Submarine Takes Forty
Tons of Oil for Re-
turn Trip.
LBy telegraph 70 Ths Tribune ]

tBy Telegraph 10 rhs Tribunal
Baltimore, July 19.-With all its men
aboard, the coming tower closed and
the two spars drawn inboard the sub
marine liner Deutschland seemed ready
at IL o'clock tonight for a dash
through the gantlet of British war
ships.
Near the slip lay the tug Thomas F.
Timmins, which brought the U-boat up
the river. Outside were clustered
numerous launches of the Eastern For
warding Company, forming a patrol on
the river side of the slip. A newspaper
launch was greeted with the hail
Keep off. You're interfering with
our plans"
All day there had been evidences that
the hour of sailing was near. Seamen
had been bidding goodby to their
friends ashore, telling them that all
shore leaves were cancelled at sun
down. The guard about the pier was
stronger than usual and strictly en-
forced the order that no strangerG
were to loiter about.
Forty Tons of Oil Aboard.
More than forty tons Of fuel oil were
pumped into the tanks of the Deutsch.
land late this afternoon. When the tive
tank cars were switched to the sub
mersible's pier an official of the COM
pany explained that the oil was in
tended for the Bremen. whose arrival is
expected shortly. Before sunset, how
ever, the oil was aboard the Deutsch-
land.
Two hours before the usual time for
the day shift to quit the stevedores,
who have been working day and night
for nearly a week towing away the car
20 of rubber and nickel, were paid of
and left the pier.
Spread Nets as Trap.
Reports came in that the warships
had heightened their line and strewn
the depths of the sea with great nets
which might catch the submarine and
entangle its screw.
Such nets have been used with deadly
effect in the Channel and along the
Scottish coast. There have been
stories Of U-boats thus trapped
which have not been found for many
days long after their air apparatus
had failed. II is said that new ships
which have Joined the waiting squadron
of the capes have enabled the British
to lay a veritable maze of the nets.
The stories have inspired some mis-
givings in the hearts OF the Deutscn-
lands crew, both as TO their own safety
and the fate OF the Bremen, a sister
boat whose arrival Is expected at any
moment. Until the shore leaves were
withdrawn and other signs OF I'M
mediate departure became apparent, IL
was thought Captain Koenig would not
sail until the Bremen had arrived and
he had conferred with its commander.
Crew Tells of Terror.
That the stories of the huge nets
spread for them have caused real anx-
iety among members of the Deutscn-
lands crew is apparent from the tenor
of the conversations some 81 them had
with their friends at parting. :,
"We are praying every night and ask |,
our friends to pray for u.s. Kari
fTupCntt, StCOuu chb - --
telling friend.
"Entangled in these nets" Fruechte's
friend continued, "the submarine can
not escape. Her engines will be GRIP
pled. and it will be a slow and agoniz-
ing death for all on board. When the
engines stop the lights will go out ana
the air will stop. That is what the men
fear. They talk of it continually when
they come to see me at night, and they
ask every one TO pray for them. 1t is
not the cannon, but the nets that may
trap them at the bottom Of the sea-
Captain SCOTS at Fears.
Men at Locust Point who have friends
aboard the Deutschland declared that
tho feeling of unrest was general among
the crew. Captain Koenig had scoffed
at their fears, it was said, and his fear
Continued on page 4, column