The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-02
GERMAN SHIP WAS
MADE GIANT BOMB
Cylinders Of Koenig Wilhelm
Packed With lnflammable
Cotton for Explosion.
SHIPS NOW Being REPAIRED
Mischief Wrought on Liners Under
German Peace-Tims Plotting
Koenia Wilhelm VIII Soon BE
Ready for Sea.

New York. - That havoc was
wrought to many of the vital parts Of
the German ships in this country upon
the breaking off Of diplomatic relations
was known shortly after the damage
was inflicted ON the vessels, but the
extent to which the orders from Ger
many were carried out to make the
vessels unfit for use against her was
never made known.
Upon the declaration Of state OF
war existing between the United
States and the German empire. the
vessels were seized and steps were i'm
mediately taken to fit them out for
/ service under the Stars and Stripes. 1t
was also known that prompt action by
the United States officials frustrated
plans for what might have resulted IN
permanent crippling Of the ships. Still
the interesting details Of their condi-
ton were concealed.
The New York World has obtained
and presents to the public the first
concrete facts Of what was done to
one Of the large liners under the Ger
man peace-time plotting.
Made Cylinders Destructive Bombs.
Photographs Of the actual damage
to the North German Lloyd liner
Koenig Wilhelm III have been made,
and they show how the cylinders OF
her engines were broken and even
stuffed with a chemically treated cot
ton, so that two Of her high pressure
cylinders were virtually turned into
huge high explosive bombs.
All this was done while she lay In
the North river at West One Hundred
and Thirty-fifth street, New York. Ii
they had been set off they might not
have blown up surrounding property,
but they would have shattered the
ship.
This Is why Collector Of the Port
Malone and his entire staff sat up all
night waiting for congress to declare
a state of war existing and upon re-
ceipt Of flash that congress had act
ed, pounced upon the sleeping Ger"
mans. He had known to some extent
what was going on, but could not pre-
vent it while peace remained, as the
ships were private property and the
government was determined not to yio-
late the rights Of their owners.
After the United States government
took over the ships, and an examina-
ton was made Of them, it was found
that four Of the eight cylinders of the
Koenig Wilhelm's quadruple expansion
engines were damaged beyond repair,
but as the rest Of her machinery and
her hull had not been injured, 1t was
decided to replace the broken cylinders
and use her. She was taken to the
ward of the Morse Dry Dock and Re-
pair company, South Brooklyn.
In her engines are four low pressure
cylinders, two on each engine, two In
termediate cylinders and two high
pressure cylinders. Two Of the low
ones and the, two high pressure ones
were damaged. Sections Of the steam
chests at the bottom had been broken
away by driving steel taper pins In
three-quarter inch holes bored In the
castings and then welding sledge ham,
mers against the castings.
Then all this damage has been COW
cred with clay, which was used with
asbestos as covering for the cylin-
ders. This was done apparently in the
hope Of the engines being started In
case the Germans, did not have time
to blow up the cylinders. Had steam
been forced into the cylinders they
would have collapsed with the first
thrust Of the pistons.
Mysterious Explosive In Cylinders.
But the turning of the cylinders in
to virtual bombs was the most In
genious designing Of all.
Two high pressure cylinders were
found to have been stuffed with what
was at first supposed, to have been gun
cotton. There was enough to fill a
barrel in each cylinder. The substance
has not yet been put under chemical
analysis, but 1t is thought to have
been cotton treated with silico, a liquid
compound, colorless, Tuning and in
flammable, which is made by subject
ing silicon to heat In the presence OF
hydrochloric acid gas. It is believed
this was to have been used to set on
| gun cotton, which was to have been
placed in the cylinders just before the
vessel was seized.
There was evidence that tackle was
to be used to hoist the piston Of each
cylinder and drop them by cutting the
tackle. Copper pins that had been
driven into the cylinder SO they pro-
jected on the inside would have
caused friction when the cylinder
heads rubbed against them, setting off
the cotton. This would have burst the
cylinders and caused damage that on
ly could be conjectured.
As result of finding the cotton, the
electric engines, dynamos, pipe lines
and other parts of the liner are being
opened up for traces Of explosives. II
none are found, the cunning Of the
Germans will have gone almost for
naught and the Koenig Wilhelm II