The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1919-01-01
END INSPECTION
OF NAVAL BASES
Allied Commission Which Visited
German Forts Returns
to Home Port.
TRIP FRAUGHT WITH PERIL
Dramatic Episode Of Voyage Was Pas
sage OF British Cruiser and De-
stroyers Through KieI
Canal.

London, Dec. 30.-Bearing an allied
commission which Inspected German
naval bases and airship and seaplane
stations under the terms of the armis-
tice, the British battleship Hercules
has returned to her home port. Dur
ing a trip fraught with peril many
German ports were visited and pre-
liminary arrangements for the sur
render of German warships made.
A dramatic episode of the voyage
was the passage of the Kiel canal on
December Is. Accompanied by the
British destroyers verdun and Vice
roy the Hercules gave the Germans
along the banks of the canal their first
sight of the British flag since 1914.
when light British cruisers passed
through
Germans who watched the ships
were for the most part indifferenfly
curious, but not infreQuently women
and children waved their hands. There
was not the slightest response from
the ships. f@
German Discipline Shattered.
Discipline on board the German war
ships is very low. according to officers
Of the Hercules. They found on the
first enemy ships boarded that sailors
were lounging about ships In bad CON
dition as a result Of neglect. This
was in direct violation Of the terms
of the armistice and drastic action was
taken by the inspecting officer. He
notified the Germans that the ships
must be cleared of sailors and If his
orders were not obeyed he would re-
turn to the Hercules and report that
he was obstructed in his work. Fear
full of probable consequences, the Ger
man seamen left their ships at once.
Inspection of airplane and seaplane
stations required considerable land
travel, which permitted the members
of the commission to gain information
as to the condition of the people in
the interior OF the country. II is re-
ported that everyone encountered in
Germany, even in such an industrial
center as Hamburg. seemed as well
clothed and fed as are the people of
France and England. Winter crops
owing to the mild season, are doing
well and the land is well cultivated
and fortified.
Tried to Obstruct Work.
Admiral Sir Montague Browning,
head of the commission, was accom-
panied by the best men from all allied
nations available for the work. They
met interminable objections, obstrue-
lions and evasions by the Germans,
but the commission ultimately was
able to induce the Germans to find
means to fulfill many points of the
armistice which they at first fiatly
refused to carry out.
Admiral Goette of the Germany
navy seems to be the only senior Ger
many officer still attending to his du-
ties.
Tried to Hide U-6oats.
Discipline at airshlp and seaplane
stations was better than on the Ger
man warships, 1t is reported. The
Norderney seaplane station is said to
compare most favorably with any sta
ton of it's kind In France and Eng
land while the great Nordholz zeppe-
lin depot is declared 70 be the finest
In the world.
The submarine commission under
Lieutenant Commander Bower pushed
its Investigations assiduously at Ham
burg, Bremen and other points, with
the result that scores of U-boats near
ly all near completion and hitherto UNI
declared by the Germans. were found
and reported. Admiral Goette pro-
tested to the last against giving up
these submarines. but at final con-
ference consented.