The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1919-06-27

ualties Occurred.
LONDON, June 21.-The German
officers and sailors forming the com
plements of the German ships in
termed at Scapa Flow, sank most of
their feet today. All the big ships,
excepting the Baden and numerous
smaller craft were sunk, while others
went ashore in half sunken condi-
ton.
Eighteen destroyers were beached
by tugs; four are still afioat and the
remainder went under.
The wholesale sinking of the Ger
man ships which surrendered under
the terms of the armistice was care
fully arranged by officers and crews.
All explosives had been removed and
therefore, the only means of destroy
ing the feet was by opening the sea-
cocks. The ships went down slowly
with the German flag, which the
crews had hoisted, showing at the
mastheads.
The crews, composed entirely Of
Germans, under the terms of the ar
mistice, which did not permit of Brit
ish guards aboard, took to the boats
when the vessels began to settle.
While making for the shore the boats
were challenged and called upon to
surrender Some of them ignored
the summons and were fired upon, a
few casualties resulting.
The admiralty at first denied the
report but later confirmed it and is
sued an official statement. The
German officers and crews have been
ID - ofE
cials tonight would offer an opinion
as to how they are to be dealt with
The statement which was issued by
the Admiralty says,
According to the latest reports
from Scapa Flow all the interned
battleships and battle cruisers have
been sunk except he battleship Baden
which is stu afoat Five light crais-
ers have been sunk, but three have
been beached. Eighteen destroyers
were beached by local tugs. -Four
destroyers are still afoat. The rest
of the destroyers have sunk"
"a German rear admiral and most
Of the Germans from the ships are
now in custody aboard British ships
Some boats from the ships refused
TO stop when ordered and were fired
on. A small number of Germans
were killed or wounded.
'sIn accordance with the terms of
the armistice the German ships were
interned with skeleton crews as care
takers and without British guards
aboard"
When the German high seas fleet
surrendered last November and was
taken to Scapa Flow, it comprised
nine battleships, five battlecruisers,
seven light cruisers and so destroy
ers. As far as is known all the ships
are still at Scapa Flow
The battleships at Scapa Flow are
the Kaiser, Kserin, Koenig Albert,
Bayern, Margraf; Kron Prinz Will
helm, Prinz Regent Luitpold, Gros-
ser Kurerfuenst and the Friedrich
Der Crosse, averaging about $4,000
tons each. The battle cruisers are
the Seydlitz, Hindenburg, Moltke,
Won Der Tam and Der Finger.
With regard to the sinking Of the
German warships in the Scapa Flow,
the Sunday Observer says that while
Naval opinion at Portsmouth holds it
would have been better to have Brit
ish guards on the German ships,
their sinking may be considered as
removing difficulty which might
have led to heart burning among the
allies concerning their disposition.
The German skeleton crews were re.
lieved monthly and returned to Ger
many. They were fed only such pro-
visions as they would have obtained
in their own country.
Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge re-
tired, former director of the intelli-
gence department, interviewed by
the Weekly Dispatch with regard to
the sinking, said
"It is breach of the armistice and,
therefore, almost tantamount to a
new act of war, but at this juncture
it appears to mean that the Germans
intend to sign the peace treaty. II
looks like a plan agreed upon in
Berlin"
Commander Kenworthy, M. p, told
the Dispatch he did not think the
sinkings were carried out by order OF
the German government but were
engineered by few hot heads sick
of existence at Scapa Flow.
"The Admiralty or the admiral
Charge" he said, cannot be blamed
Rather the armistice commission is
to be censured for not putting Brit
ish crews aboard, but we are we'll rid
of the ships which were obsolete"
Sunday Times, commenting on the
news from Scapa Flow says that the
news topic in London was great a
mazement that nothing apparently
had been done to safeguard the ships
against the possibility of such de.
struction.
"The. fact that the presence OF
British Guards was absolutely pre-
cluded by the armistice should surely
have necessitated more vigilant out
side observation" he adds. ''Ths
public vii want to know how. the Ger.
man commanders must allow the fres
intercourse necessary for concerted
action"