Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-22

London, New. 22.-Twenty.
seven mine sweeping vessels
passed out of German possess
sion on Monday, according TO a
Central News dispatch from
Amsterdam. They arrived in
Dutch waters from Belgium and
were interned.
Edinburgh, Thursday, Nov. 81.
p. m.-(By the Associated Press >
Germany, as a naval power, ceased
to exist today. The heart of her
mighty fleet-14 ships of line, seven
light cruisers and so destroyers-
surrendered to an armada of Brit
ish, American and French vessels,
the greatest fighting force that ever
stood out to sea-
The minuteIy detailed program of
submission laid down by the COM
mander of the British feet was car
ried out strictly according to plan.
The German warships, strung out
in a single soluumn, almost twenty
miles long, appeared at the rendez-
yous at the appointed time, and
were led into the Firth of Forth be-
tween twin columns of allied ships
which overlapped the Germans at
each end. Tonight the enemy
craft are anchored in the Firth, un-
der guard as prisoners.
Greatest in History.
A surrender on such a gigantic
scale has no precedent in naval his
tory. Although the wonderful ma
val spectacle was the same as a
peace time review and evoked little
enthusiasm, the haze blotting out
the horizon, American and British
officers could scarcely credit the
evidence of their eyes. 1t was an
event which shattered all naval
traditions and ideals.
Men animated by the spirit of
Lawrence's Don't give, up the
ship" and Nelson's England ex-
poets every man to do his duty, F"
could not conceive of such an in
glorious fate, as that which the en-
emy force was submitting to.
The Associated Press correspond
ent on the deck of an American
dreadnaught heard an officer ex-
claim, even the poor old Spaniard,
knowing they had not chance,
came out of Santiago"
Giant Falls Without Fight
But for the most part, both off,
GERS and men were silent. They
realized that they were Witnessing
the climatic act of Germany's down
fall. They knew that the surrender
of these vessels automatically rails
ed the United States to second posi-
ton among the worlds naval pow
ers but they showed no elatiOn and
seemed to feel a sort of cOntemptu-
Gus pity for the fallen giant of the
sea. who had refused to fight.
The German ships were sighted
by the allied columns at $40
O'Clock docilely following their
British pilot, the light cruiser Car
diff, which, with destroyers and
other small craft, had ranged ahead
of the allied fleet. The enemy
studiously complied with Admiral
Beatty's orders and it was well for
their own sakes that they did.
Ready for Trouble
Every vessel steaming out to
meet them flew battle ensigns and
was ready for instant action with
its men at battle stations and guns
in position for the prompt annihi-
Iation of the enemy's force if their
mission proved to be other than
peaceful
Five American battleships, the
New York, Texas, Arkansas, Wyom-
ing and Florida, were prepared to
ire every gun in 40 seconds after
the signal was given by Rear Ad-
miral Hugh Rodman, who said to
the correspondent before sailing:
There is not the slightest prob
ability of any trouble. BUT, we are
overlooking no chances in making
the windup in this show big sue
cess"
e. 8. Ships in Line
The main allied feet extending
over a line IA miles long in the
Firth Of Forth began to weigh an
Choir at l o'clock this morning.
The Scottish mist. which for days
had obscured the harbor, was swept
away by a stiff breeze, and the
moon shone brilliantly. The ships
quickly took their stations in the
long double line they held through
out the day British battle cruisers
led the way, followed by dread
naughts. Admiral Beatty's flagship,
the Queen Elizabeth, led the squad
ron in the northern column. The
American warships fell into line
behind Admiral Beatty's craft, bal
ancing a British squadron similar
in power in the opposite file.
The rendezvous was approx
mately forty miles distance and the
ships guaged their speed TO arrive
at the appointed place at s o'clock.
At o'clock a signal summoned the
men into battle stations Except
for those. and the officers on the
bridges, the ship companies were
hidden behind bulwarks of steel.
When dawn broke the sea was
again covered with mist which re-
duced the visibility to less than
eight thousand yards.
German Craft Arrive.
Ewes straining through the murky
haze finally were rewarded. on the
starboard bow the Cardiff. trailing
an observation hte-bailoon, came
steaming In. Close behind her came
The first of the German ships, the