The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-30
HERMAN RAIDERS
 BY DARING BLUFF
 TRACKED ENEMY
Cruisers Goeben and Breslau, Latter Sold to Tur- key and Since Then Sunk, Figured in Wild
 Maneuvre in Adriatic Sea, Escaping Hostile Fleet

tc attract attention of enemy patrols by playing German airs. while the German warships laid their course for MesSina.
 From the pro-wartime disposition of forces, it may be assumed" con- tinueS the United States naval com- nander, that the allies had in the Mediterranean at this time numerous H1en-of war, including very likely two Or three British battle cruisers, several fast light cruisers, and many destroy CTS. International law required that the German warships leave the neu. tral port Of Messina within 24 hours. The chances for escape appeared du- bious to say the least, and the follow ing version of the maneuvre, purport- ing to be based on the log of the Goe- ben, is of interest:
 "'On August 6, 1914, just before sailing from Messina, the German commander issued these orders: News about the enemy is uncertain. I pre- sume his strength lies in the Adriatic and that he is watching both exits to the Messina Strait. Our objec: is to break through to the East and reach the Dardanelles. I want to create the | in pression that we intend to go to the Adriatic. In case so succeed I will veer round in the night and make for l Cape Matapan, If possible throwing the enemy off our track.
 As the ships-flags flying and music playing-were reaching the open sea, the following wireless mes sage from the Kaiser reached the Ad- miral: His majesty expects the Goe- ben and the Breslau to succeed in breaking through"
 Shortly after leaving the harbor the English cruiser Gloucester ap- peared on the horizon. The English cruiser was emitting signals in th1ee groups The word "Mumfu' frequent ly occurred and it was clear. that it referred to the Goeben. The wire less red tivers interpreted the signal of the British cruiser as follows: "Goeben making for the Adriatic."
 SThe German wireless officer ar gued thus: "I can jam him. If I break my waves against his perhaps I can confuse, hold up, destroy his message. Shall I jam his wireless?" he asked the admiral.
 "'shan we fire?' asked the com mander.
 Mo- was the answer to both ques- tions. No one apart from the staff understood the admiral. This is how
 he argued, however: This boat is evidently a. patrol intending to wire less our movements to the main Bri tish fleet. He shall save us-not r-ln
 us. He shall do his work. We win neither fire at nor jam him. Let him wireless that the Germans are making for the Adriatic, whereas the nardan- elles is our object
 Tt was dark. The Breslau closed in It was 10 o'clock in the evening; then came the order from the brid1 1e:
 "Starboard; make for Cape Matapan.'
 "'The watching British cruiser saw the maneuvre, but before he could
 wireless the news that the Germans
 were making for the east the follow ing order flashed out from the Admir-
 al: "Jam the wireless; jam it like
 the devil''
 British Make Excuses "'For hours the Germans were travelling eastward without obstacle while the patrol boat tried to make , itself understood in vain. Where diG the error of our enemy lie? In Eng
 land the excuse was advanced that tho . Germans had acquired knowledge O I the British secret wireless code an( so deceived the latter into waiting. . "'Is it worth while contra dictinE such stuff? The English should hav'
 waited baf0'e the Strait of Messina a and nowhere else. But so confiden a were they that the Goeben and Bres
 lau must try and break through thu |, AGriatic in order to reach an Austrian 9 port, that they thought it safe to wal f in the Strait of Otranto, which is 4
 sea miles wide. So positive were the! : on this point that the thought of ou
 making fer the Dardanelles neve
 seems to have occurred to them.
 "'When the wireless messages o
 the Gloucester finally reached tn,
 British fleet it was too late. The Ger !. man ships were enroute for Constant
 nople.'
 That this episode caused tho allie considerable chagrin may well be i'm
 agined. The British commander wa
 afterwards relieved. A little later, ap parently as an alternative to disarm
 ing and being interned, the Goebel
 and Breslau were sold by German. 7 to Turkey, transaction without pre- ) cedent and involving question o r international law
 "At this initial period in near east ern affairs, determined action on tn ! part of the allies toward Turkey migh ] possibly have had important effects } Suppose, for example, that a pow ] Urtul combined British and Frencl naval force had steamed through tn 3 Oardanelles and up to Constantinopl = and demanded the surrender of tn 3 Goeben and Breslau because of Tur ' keys alleged violation of neutrall laws. Suppose, also, if Turkey ha 9 forbidden this passage and refuse l, these demands, that the allied fore Il had fought it's way through the Oar - Ganelles and either captured or des [ trcyed the Goeben and Breslau i II spite of any armed resistance tha might have been offered. It is c Q course, problematical how muc 5 strength Turkey could have shown 8 = this time, hut it is not an unreason 2 able supposition that a resolute navs demonstration in the Dardanelle 'e lnight have been successful and migh . have had a decisive influence on tn Il wavering Turks, with consequent , fsr-reaching effects upon the genera '' cGurSe of the war"