Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-08
Auxiliary Cruiser Cormoran, in
Port Two Years, Refuses to
Surrender to American
Forces and Is Destroyed,
REFUSED PROVISIONS
BY ISLAND GOVERNOR
Three Hundred and Fifty-three
Taken Prisoners, and Five
Are MiSSingi Was Former.
Russian Steamer RajaeSan,

tsN GoRnss JOURNAL SPECIAL LEAsao WlRHi
Washington, April THE interned
man gunboat Cormoran at Guam
Neen blown up.
Cormoran refused to surrender
American forces which went to
)ssession of her and was de-
tv her crew. The German
officers and five enlisted men
oiled by the explosion.
Crew Taken Prisoners.
Twenty officers twelve warrant Of
ficers and 821 enlisted men were
taken prisoners.
The navy departments announce
ment said:
THE interned German cruiser Cor
moran at Guam refused to surrender,
lar' 'ry y,t Hing two warrant
officers and five enlisted men. Twen-
ty officers. twelve warrant officers
and 321 enlisted men were taken
prisoners"
The message was received at the
navy department at a. m. today from
Capt. Roy Smith, governor OF Guam
and commandant of the navar station
there.
The destruction of the Cormoran
took place at s O'Clock last night,
time.
The navy department issued this
statement:
Sinks Immediately.
THE German auxiliary cruiser Cor
moran was blown up in the harbor of
Apra, Island of Guam, today by her
crew, sinking Immediately. One war
rant officer and five enlisted men are
dead, one warrant officer and four
enlisted men are missing, twenty Off
GERS, twelve warrant officers and 32l
enlisted men have been made prison.
ers.
ION october 20. 1914, the 35-foot
cutter called the ocean Comber' en-
tered the harbor of Apra, Island of
Guam, in charge of Lieut.. Won Elpons
Of the imperial German navy.
Called for Supplies.
The boat and party of three officers
and four natives of New Guinea had
been at sea for a long time, having
left H. NJ. S. 'Cormoran' for the pur-
pose of sending a cable to San Fran
cisco for supplies. The date of the
cipher was October l and the location
of the Cormoran was not disclosed,
Permission was not granted to send
the cablegram and the officers and
men were interned.
"On December IA, 1914, the Ger
man auxiliary cruiser Cormoran ap-
peared off the harbor of Apra and
sent radio asking permission to en-
ter for coal and provisions. She was
allowed to enter and the commanding
officer to visit the governor.
Commanding Officer Juckschwerdt
stated that he had just come from
the south sea and was short of coal,
had only fifty tons on board and re-
quested l,500 tons of coal and pro-
visions to reach his nearest home port
in German East Africa. The governor
replied that he could furnish only 200
only could be spared the command
ing officer was given the alternative
Of departing within twenty-four hours
Dr. being interned.
Ship Interned
con December Is, 1914, at 10 a. M,
the commanding officer decided to re-
main in port and the ship and it's per-
sonnel were interned,
"The following were on board |
rwenty-one officers, one midshipman,
eleven deck officers, 307 petty off,
GERS and men, four Chinese and twen- |
.y-nine South Sea natives,
THE Cormoran was formerly a
steamer in the Russian fleet and was
captured early in the morning of
August 3 by II. M. S. Emden and was
put in service as a German |
auxiliary cruiser. Her name before |
,apture was the 'Rajaesap' During |
peace she was in the passenger trade |
between Shanghai and Vladivostok, |
She is a hew speedy ship, built at the |
German works at Schichau. She was !
aiken to Using Tao and was over
lauled and could do better than sew
enteen knots. She was equipped with |
guns, manned by German crew |
rhe old German gunboat 'Cormoran |
vas being dismantled at Using Tao
md the captain and most of her crew
we're transferred to the newly con.
yerted auxiliary cruiser. She was
aiken the first night of the war and
vas the first prize of the Emden.
'The Russians claim she had been
AIKEN inside of territorial waters of |
Japan, prior to Japan's hostilities." 81