Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-19

| flcera had learned a thing or two about
the trade OF being pirate.
In the waiting and hoping days on
my captivity, learned among other
things more than little of what had
occurred in tho South Atlantic, where
tho Sccadler sank thirteen ships he
fore setting their 400 survivors ashore
at Rio. Some OF the tales got from
the men. some from the officers them.
selves. for they were frank except
where 1T was matter of naval policy
not to be. and they found it a relief
to be able to talk over their cxploita
around table tho long. warm
evenings.
Thinking upon all they told me. II
wasn't comforting to remember that
enough for condisn punishment. and II
ever shot hit the old tub of n pirate,
/ filled as she was with oil and ammuni.
ton. there would be an VICTORIOUS end
Z OF us.
Tho officers. Us they discussed their
work while fraternizinE and passing
the time. seemed to take especial pride
In the way they had put an end 20
two or tire of the many ships they
had sunk.
There was. remember, a four.
masted French bark they spoke Of
| the Antoininc. Is the way the name
waa given The Sccadlcr came upon
her from astcrn. and hoistcd signals
AS they told it. /. all seemed like the
patter of ii crook slipping up boldly
while throwing the victim OF guard.
Where arc YOU from
Whcro bound to-"
What cargor
These and many other questions they
asked in code. and all the time the dis
tance between the vessels was shorten
ing. and tho Frenchman was answering
politely, until at last the Sccadlcr came
abreast. and the Antoininc flashed the
signal, What ship ia that" and for
the answer the German flag was
hotsted. Then. while tho poor French
man wavercd for a moment. not know
ing what TO do-as IL there were any
thing that could be touchdown came
the rails of tho raider and tho four
inch guns spoke, and there was an
end OF tho incident.
Again there was the case of the
Rolph bark British yeoman Captain
Nelson had his wife aboard. and on
pleasant day she was sitting on the
poop. when a thrce-masted shin was
sighted. II came closer and closer and
Mrs. Nelson, putting aside her knit
ting or her reading. made out on the
poop of the ship a woman waving a
kerchief. Mrs. Nelson waved too, and
pretty sight 1t made, the two women
exchanging a greeting there far from
land. on Il sea that spark1ed gayiy-
for women and ships are much alike
and the salutcs of both have grace
And so they waved merrily, as if il
were a holiday affair. till the equare-
rugged ship was all but alongside and
then again the rails dropped and the
ugly guns gave the real siEnal-a salbo
across the bows-as the German flag
was run up.
There's more of thrill in the story
Of the British steamer Gladys Royai
Her captain had been captured once
before. and wasn't of mind to 20
| through it again. so when tho raider
came up close and there was no pos
siblity OF wary man mistakinC her
intent, the captain swung his ship to
the wind. hoping the raiders ton
hamper would keep her from going
against the wind. even with the Dies
sells. and give chance for flight
ENGINE-ROOM HIT, ONE
SHOT GOING THROUGH
But there was a quick parry TO that
move-from the guns-and MS the
steamer put on all pressure. the shots
began to fall, till one went right
through tho engineroon. The black
squad" every man jack fed for their
lives, but on tho bridge the captain
knew nothing of that, nor Of the dam
age the shot had done in turning the
enEine-room into hole where any
living thing would be boiled alive. with
broken steam pipes letting loose all
the power that had been made TO Get
tho steamer out OF danger.
Then the lack OF answer to the tele.
graph showed him something was
wrong. and he pulled tn wire to "Stop,"
but for all his ringing of the tele-
graph. the steamer went on under her
momentum and with the part OF the
machinery that ..adn't been disabled
So he swung her round.
At this the Seeadlcr thought he was
trying 10 ram. and the gun crews
worked fast and the machine gun be-
gan 10 spatter the Gladys Royal.
Splintcrs and shots we're flying all
around. and it was no time for daily
ing. The captain having hove to give
up. now couldn't make il clear to the
raider. whose fire increased as they
ncared.
The code book was brought. and the
leaves flew as the steamer captain
tried to find the signal for my engine
is disa bied. But nothing would come
right, tho signal was gone from his
memory and slipped from his fingers
in tho book, until at last. seeing they
might all he killed if they went on
as they were, he cried out (and let no
one blame him unless he's done better
under such trying circumstances.
"iois; towel. sheet a tabIccloth--
anything" y tablccloth il was. and
white enough. and the surrender was
accepted with a stopping of the guns.
ana the Gladys Royal steamed round
aud round the Seeadlcr till her power
was exhausted.
The attack with shell and machine
gun shot was tho cause of one death
an apprentice hoy on the steamer was
hit in the head. They took him aboa I'd
the raider and tried to operate. but
there was no use, and he died the
night Of the attack.
Tho British captain gave Graf Won
I.uckneg letter certifying that all
that was possible to save the lads life |
had been done.
(Tn Re Con,inued)