Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-22
Open Seacocks---Some
Killed for Ignoring
Summons TO Boats
To Surrender.
One Battleship and Fou,
Smaller Craft OnlyVes-
sells of 7lReported
Ahoat.

LONDON, June 81 (by the Asso
ciated Press).-The German officers
and sailors, forming the compliments
of the German ships informed at
Scapa Flow, sank most of their fleet
today. All the big ships. the battle
ships and battle cruisers, excepting
the Baden. and numerous smaller
crafts were sunk, while others went
ashore in half sunken condition.
Eighteen destroyers were beached by
tugs; four are still afioat. while the
remainder went under.
The wholesale sinking of the Ger
man ships, which were surrendered
under the terms of the armistice,
was carefully arranged by officers and
crews. All explosives had been re-
moved, and therefore, the only means
of destroying the feet was by open
ing the seacocks. The ships went
down slowly, with the German flag.
which the crews had hoisted, show
ing at the mast heads.
The crews, composed entirely OF
Germans. under the terms of the ar
mistice, which did not permit the Brit
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.
This stroke apparently was an en-
tire surprise, and the first news reach
ed London through a. correspondent
who was informed by farmers in the
neighborhood that they had seen the
German ships sinking, with their flags
aloft. ,-
The admiralty at first denied the re-
pQt, but later confirmed II and is
sued an Official statement, The Ger.
man ofncsrs- khA efsw have been made
prisoness None Of THE ofiicials tonigh,
would offer an opinion as to how they
are to be dealt with.
II Vessels In Fleet.
When the German high seas feet
surrendered last November and was
taken to Scapa Flow, 1t comprised 9
battleships. battle cruisers. light
cruisers and 50 destroyers. AS far as
is. known, all the ships are still at
Scapa Flow
The battleships at Scapa Flow are
the Kaiser. Kaiserin. Koenig. Albert.
Bayern, MarkEraf. Kronprinz Wilhelm.
Prinzregent Luitpold. Grosser Kuer-
fuerst and the Friedrich der Crosse.
averaging about $4,000 tons each. The
battle cruisers are the Seydlitz. Hin
denburg. Moltke. Won der Tam and
Derf1inger.
LONDON Sunday. June 22.-With
regard to the sinking of the German
warships in the Scapa flow, Admiral
Sir Cyprian Bridge, retired, former di-
rector of the intelligence department.
interviewed by the Weekly Dispatch
with regard to the sinking. said:
1T is a breach Of the armistice and
therefore, almost tantamout to a new
act of war, but at this juncture it ap-
pears to mean that the Germans in
tend to sign the peace treaty. 1t looks
like a plan agreed upon in Berlin"
Commander Kenworthy.rM N. p, told
the Dispatch he did not think the
sinkings were carried out by order Of
the German government, but were en-
gineered by a few hotheads sick of ex-
istence at Scapa flow.
Red Flag Signal for Sinking.
THURSO. Scotland, June 21.-The
hosting Of a red flag at noon was
the signal for the crews to scuttle
the German warships in Scapa Flow.
The crews took to the boats and
rowed toward the shore. The guard
ships fired at the Germans, who jump
ed overheard and swan ashore, where