Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-27

See how the German navy goes dowr
with it's flags flying"
British Hauled Down Enemy Flag.
Such, however, was not the case, as
British sailors had boarded most OF the
| German ships and had hauled down
the flags before the vessels went under
The prospect of salvaging a re"
ships is fairly hopeful, the Mail says
None has gone down in really deep wa
ter. The beaching of the sinking ships
proved a difficult and, at times, a dan
gerous matter. One destroyer sank as
it was being towed ashore. British
+, sailors on board having scarcely time
to lump clear before the craft wen,
down.
About twenty destroyers out OF the
fifty that were interned were beached
during the afternoon. The German
crews which were taken to the Victo-
rious were later transferred to other
warships.
What was a crowded anchorage this
morning" wired a Mail correspondent
late on Saturday, zig a desolate ex-
panse Of water tonight, with here and
there the masts of sunken German
ship marking the final resting place ol
a. once proud and mighty high seas
fleet"
One of the Nails correspondents who
watched the sinking ships from the air
station at Houton, which overlooks the
anchorage, writes:
"The battleships, as rule, gradual
ly submerged until their decks were al
most awash. Then they turned turtle
and went quickly out Of sight, there
being a slight boiling of the sea at in
tervals for several hours, and a blush
scum on the water caused by the re-
lease of oil. These were all that mark
ed the spot where the ships had gone
down.
"The light cruisers settled by the
stern or bows, and sometimes 100 FEET
of the hull of one Of these ships pro-
iected into the air, like huge whales
leaping from the water.
"When the last sinking battleship
disappeared a drifter and trawler were
at work alongside, and destroyer was
standing by, evidently making an at
tempt to tow the battleship into shall
low water. A long splash between the
DESTROYER and the ship showed that the
tow line had parted.
"The battleship canted violently the
drifter moved off, AMI, quicker than a
photographer beside the writer was
able to change a plate in his camera
not a single vestige of the battleshp
remained.
"a number Of German sailors came
to the pier at Houton Sunday after
noon, but were not permitted to land'
being directed to the flagship. Strong
patrols were landed from the fleet and
took positions alongside the oeach'
presumably to deal with any German
swimmers who came ashore"
Germans Leaped Into the Sea.
A Thurso dispatch to the Mail says
that the moment the German fagship
ran up the red flag twenty or thirty
British destroyers and trawlers were
natroling in and out Of the German
lines.
A rush of Germans to the boats fol-
lowed the signal, but the capacity Oh
the boats was limited, as their number
was cut down some time ago. All the
Germans wore lifebelts, and those un-
able to enter the boats leaped into the
sea without hesitation.
In the meantime guard ships ano
several destroyers opened fire on tne
boats. and the Germans leaped over
hoard. Then the destroyers, patrol
boats, and pinnaces dashed in all di-
rections picking up the Germans IRON
the water.
| "It is known here" the dispatcn
saws, "that the behavior of the crews
of the German ships has been growing
progressively worse The first re"
weeks after the armistice men from
the German ships were allowed to lano
ON the island, but cry soon Farmers
com plained of the loss Of sheep. Leave
for the Germans thereupon stopped
only one boat being allowed to each
squadron"