New-York tribune., 1918-11-23
Americans and British
Are at Battle Posts
Waiting False Move
Battleships aiken to
The Firth Of orth
seventy.one War Vessels
Steam Dejectedly Into
Power of Victors

EDINBURGH, Nov. 81 (By the Asso-
.iated Press).-Germany, rs q naval
,ouer. ceased to exist to-day. The
heart of her mighty fleet--fourteen
ships of the line, seven light cruisers
,nd ifty oyers-surrendered to an
armada of British. American and
French vessels, the greatest fighting
force that ever stood out to sea.
The minutely detailed programme of
submission laid down by the COM
mspier of the British fleet was carried
out strictly according TO plan. The
German warships, strung out in a
single column almost twenty miles
long. appeared at the rendezvous at the
APPOINTED time and were led into the
Firth Of Forth between twin columns
o. Allied ships which overlapped the
Germans at each end. Tonight the
enemy craft arc anchored in the Firth,
undsr guard as prisoners.
Naval History Is Made
A surrender on such gigantic scale
has no precedent in naval history. Al
though the wonderful naval spectacle
vas 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 Law
rsnee's "Don't Give Up the Ship" and
Nelson's england Expects Every Man
10 Do His Duty" could not conceive of
such an inglorious fate as that to
which the great enemy sea force was
submitting. On the deck of an Ameri-
can dreadnought an officer exclaimed:
Even the poor old Spaniards, know
ing they hadn't a chance, came out of
Santiago"
An Inglorious Ending
But for the most part both officers
and men we're silent. They realized
they we're witnessing the climacteric
act Of Germany's downfall. They knew
that the surrender of these vessels
automatically raised the United States
70 second position among the worlds
naval powers, but they showed no ella
ton and seemed to feel d sort Of con-
tsnptuous pity for the fallen giant Of
ne sea who had refused to fight.
The German ships were sighted by
. hs Allied columns at 9:20 o'clock
the light cruiser Cardiff. which, with
isstroyers and other small craft, had
ranged ahead Of the Allied fleet. The
enemy studiously complied with Ad-
miral Beatty's orders. and it was we'll
sor their own sakes that they did.
lyery vessel steaming out to meet
them fey battle ensigns and was ready
LOT Instant action, with its men at bat
lie stations and guns in position for
the prompt annihilation of the enemy's
forces if their mission proved to be
other than peaceful
All Ready for Battle
Five American battleships, the New
York, Texas, Arkansas, Wyoming and
Florida, were prepared to fire every
gun in forty seconds after the signal
sas given by Rear-Admiral Hugh Rod
nan, who said before sailing: "There
= not the slightest probability of any
Toaole, but we are overlooking no
Chances against making the wind-up
CIV" q pAS SQCCCSS.
The main Allied fleet, extending over
line fourteen miles long in the Firth
Forth, began to weigh anchor at
o'clock this morning. British battle
suisers led the way, followed by
areadnoughts. Admiral Beatty's flag
ship the Queen Elizabeth, led the
sauadron in the northern column. The
american warships fell into line be-
'lnd Admiral Beatty's craft, balancing
British squadron similar in power
The opposite file.
s,ihe rendezvous was approximately
NY miles distant and the ships
ssuged their speed to arrive at the
spgointed place at 8 o'clock.
Eyes straining through the murky
eaze finally were rewarded. OFF the
ssfooard bow, the Cardiff, trailing
aa observation kite balloon, came
a. sssaalng ag in: Close behind her came
As arst of the German ships, the
tsihg the flag of Commodore Togert
,aer her came four others Of the
sAe type, the Derfinger, Won der
.sah' HIndenburg and Moltke. They
Agged along three cable lengths apart
Immediately following them were
osae dEeadnoughts, the Friedrich der
nss@se, flagship Of Rear-Admiral Won
sgsoIer; the KONG Albert, Kaiser,
1.onprlnz Wilhelm. Kaiserin, Bayern,
.sagrsf, Prinzregent Luitpold and
ss Z, urosser kurfuerst.
ahree miles agtern came seven light
naisers, the Karlsruhe, bearing the
vSsign of Commodore Harder; the
mshkfort. Emden, Burnbcrg, Brum-
~s, =, Coin and Bremen.
,,;lien ilnen came another gap of three
nd a