Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-23
GERMAN ADMIRAL
ORDERED HIS MEN
TO SINK ALL SHIPS
Wires British Commander
He Believed Armistice
Was at End.
REPORT HARBOR OF SCAPA
FLOW BARRED BY VESSELS S
Fleet Valued at $35O,o0O, 900 Dis
appears and Admiralty Proves
Reticent.
DETAILS Or AFFAIR LACKING
English Public and Parliament tn
Demand Facts OF ScuttIing
of BOlts
REPORT HARBOR OF SCAPA
FLOW BARRED BY VESSELS
DETAILS Or AFFAIR LACKING
English Public and Parliament to
Demand Facts of ScuttIing
of Boats.
ny ROBERT wELLEs RITCnIE.

RI Ntbtshf RITCHIE.
LONDON. June 22-Admiral Won
Reuter-. commander OF The surrendered
German feet: personally ordered II.
that the armist!cc had expired he
says. according 10 the Daily Express
In the following message to the British
commander
~ ordered the sinking n the belief
loving the German navy,,s tradition
which knows no surrender"
man sailors Escaped from the scuttied
warships six men were killed and ten
n. further statement ,oda%." Said la an
officer OF the naval publicity depart
story, ., the sinking 81 tho German
was the answer: beyond this the Of
Genesis Now iin. Rival.
Here Is an interesting situation:
one ships OF ali classes, only the ba,-
tleship laden and three destroyers re-
est,ea m4in aSa '9ioTng hd hs nsrnE CON
Four hundred ,housand tons. valued
story in exactly lSO words.
The Genesis. Hitherto the model OF
History's most remarkable naval de.
struct!on. which In the short space of
four hours wiped ou, fleet more
and aimos, equal 20 Japan's. definitely
snnds sne ,ne nayxi q, E,oHes n whieh dspn,ed
and once threatened Britannia's rule
of The amad In I1ss i0s5 h hours rs. ,his
o! the waters and n small! body OF men
In London posseSsing exclusive news
.,d!niralty's l3o words in mysterious
DetniIs Are LaekinE,
As matter OF fact. very few Ad-
miralty officers are in London. This
being SUNDAY. the various sea lords
and other high officials are spending
the weekend at their country. places,
beyond reach by telephone. and seeing
no necessity OF returning to their Of
Meanwhile details from scapa Flow.
where the destruction took place, are
Thurso concerning the engulang Of the
big fleet. Scapa might as we'll be in
Greenland.
Todays greatest question is WHY"
That is what the British public wants
TO know. and what Parliament will de-
mand when 1t reassembles.
destroy the fleet held in trus; by the
British navy pending its disposition
by the peace congress? There is no
Bu, already he nrst evidence Q, the
Admiralty,s abb is contained In
cordancs &C with the armis,ice @ terms m the the
German ships were intcrned with Ger
man skeleton crews as caretakers. and
Prepare to ."Gnss Buck"
This may be taken to indicate the
Admiraity's line of defense, passing
the blame to the authors Of the armis-
tice terms for leaving the Germans
free access to the seacocks at any
time.
high British naval officer tells
that the seacocks could have been
rendered harmless at any :time BY
sealing them with acetelyne blow
After the hrst blow Of the news
naval officers have begun TO realize
that the Germans here achieved a
double pprpose pos They have not only
fleet. but have seriously, IL not com
pletely blocked the Scapa Flow
chorage.
Bridge, the biggest ''"ai German Ships ships
were scuttied in l2o feet of water. He
and expense will be necessary to raise
the, vessels and clear the fair~ay."
Measured by the engineering prob
lem OF raising the Maine at Havana
II is matter of serious doubt whe-
ther the heaviest ships will be raised,
and 1t is equally uncertain whether
those vessels which were beached can
be saved.
Says Huns Arc Bnrbnrians.
An interesting psychological side
light is offered by British editorial
comment. The Daily Express com
nations on having thus been relieved
of one source of embarrassment. Not
a word is said concerning the fixing
OF responsibility.
Admiral Sir Percy Scott says in the
Sunday Times:
1T serves us right for trusting the
Huns. They are barbarians."
The Baden was towed into Swanbis-
ter Bay this afternoon, where she sank
in the shadows. the. Daily Sketch
OF the whole fleet is now ahoat All
masts protruding fly the British naval
ensign.
All German prisoners are aboard the
The British fleet took to seward
'"1S The mo London London Dali. sketch says:
Here is the story OF the end Of the
German fleet, even more dramatic than
the surrender:
German flag we're hoisted on all of the
seventy-one vessels. ana before the
British knew what was happening.
the valves had been opened and ali
which rightly or wrongly. was con-
sdered the guardian Of the German
ships. was seward. engaged in battle
practice, 1t was Immediately recalled
by wireless.
Meanwhile. the guardian ships re-
ma lining. mostly. trawlers and drif.ers,
on the boats crowded with escaping
German sailors.
Crews that had not taken to the
overheard when the British fired. h xii
were for a considerable time in the
water before. being rescued.
Many. Of the German ships had dis
appeared before the first units of the
British feet returned at top speed.
Every effort was made by tugs. trawl-
1(Continued ON Second Parc0