The Washington times., 1917-04-27
RAIDER is SIGHTED
CLOSE TO AMAZON
Germans Disguise Captured
Square Rigger and
Mount Guns.

NEW YORK, April 27.-The raider
Seeadler (Sea Eagle). formerly the
American sQuare-rigger Pass of Bal
maha. which was captured by the
Germans when on her way from this
port to Archangel in August, 1915,
seized and converted into an auxIl-
iary, is hunting for prey in the steam
ship lane between Brazilian ports and
the United States.
She was seen at close quarters
twelve days ago and carefully OBJ
served by a skipper who has arrived
at an American port on an American
steamship.
The American was about sixty miles
on the mouth OF the Amazon when the
Sea Eagle was n0ed six, miles of
the Americans quarter. She was then
about thirty-nine miles north OF the
equator and was paralleling the
course of the American, whose skip
per noted through marine glasses that
she had two Norwegian flags painted
on the side nearest to him and that
she had three square-rigged masts, in
other words. she appeared to be q
full-rigged sailing ship.
The Yankee skipper had been told
in Rio de Janeiro OF the activity of
the Sea Eagle, which destroyed eleven
slow-going belligerent and neutral
freighters in the south Atlaptic in
March.
A complete description of the raider
was given to the American. When
he saw the square rigger astern, un-
der sail, making more than ten knots
in a gentle breeze. and steering his
way he rang for full speed. His
ship can reel of about fifteen knots in
emergency.
Going At Thirteen Knots.
The skipper had heard that the
raider with her twin motors was ca
pable of making twelve or thirteen
knots. She has hitting 1t up at the
latter pace when the American began
to draw away from her slowly after
pursuer and pursued had been racing
about five hours, or since 6 o'clock
of the morning OF April II, when the
raider first hove in sight. The skip
per wondered why the raider did not
open on him with one of the two
guns, reported to be of seight-inch
calIber. which she carried. The best
the raider could do, the Yankee skip
per said, was not more than thirteen
knots, and she was hull down on the
horizon late in the afternoon.
The wireless OF the American flashed
a warning OF the presence OF the Sea
Eagle to steamships bound to and from
South American ports. giving her posi-
ton when first sighted and when she
gave up the chase in the north Atlantic.
The commander Of the Sea Eagle has
been reported as declaring that he
would keep on raiding until he was
sunk or captured. As patrol boats
knew his position twelve days ago ship
ping men expect news OF an engage
ment in the north Atlantic.
Colombia FoiIs HnIdIny Plot.
News of a plot to arm several vessels
in Colombian ports and send them to
sea under German commanders to raid
American shipping arrived here yester-
day. According to the story a former
purser Of an American steamship line
went to Colombia and took charge. of
the vessels. all Of small tonnage. osten-
sibly to fit them for coast wise trade.
Colombian officials suspected the purs,
er and surprised his workmen fitting
out the vessels with guns and ammuni-
ton. He was arrested with others and
taken to Cristobal. in the Canal Zone,
and locked up. n is said an American
citizen in this port is implicated,