New Britain herald., 1919-06-23

have stated that six Germans were killed and ten wounded when the boats of the German fleet in Scapa Flow were fired upon subsequent to the scuttling of the German fleet, the Daily Mail says that others may have been drowned and that some may pos hibly have reached the Orkney Islands and have not yet been reported
 The main force of the British fleet was absent exercising at sea when the German ships were sunk, only some drifters, small warships and patroIling aircraft being on guard over the in- termed enemy squadron.
 ObeyS Kaiser's Orders.
 Admiral von Reuter-, commander of ,, the surrendered German fleet. says he issued an order to sink the ships, the Daily Mail adds, and did so because at the beginning of the war the German emperor directed that no German warship should fall into the enemy's hands. He says that he believed from newspaper reports, that the armistice had been ended.
 5000 Men On Board.
 Adnral yon Reuter- visited Germany some weeks ago, it being understood at the tin1e that the reason for his trip there was that he was ill but he
 
 st that time he circulated the order to sink the German ships by evading the censorship or making signals to the various vessels, an act which the close proximity Of the German ships made quite easy. The Mail quotes the ad- saliralty as denying that the German crews were periodically chenged and saying that the original crews re- mained on board the vessels. There were from 150 to 200 on the big ships and from 10 to 20 on beard the de- stroyers. Therefore, there were near- ly 5000 in the water or in the ships boats when the fleet was sunk. Four teen hundred were landed by the Brit ish on Sunday at Nigg. Rosshir, on the .forthern shore of Cromarty Firth. They were placed in hutments and are being held under military guard.
 Ships Sunk Fast.
 From the behavior of the ships, ac- cording to the Mail, it was evident the sea valves had been opened. and in a surprisingly short time the vessels, big and small, began 10 settle down. Every effort was made by the British naval craft to beach the sinking ships and in the case of destroyers considerable success was achieved. By one o'clock in the afternoon. however, what an hour before had been a stately fleet riding at anchor was an array of reel ing rocking battleships, the doom of which was written in their move raepts. -- --~- .---.---.-
 One Ship Turns Turtle.
 Here a destroyer would disappear amid a cloud of steam and there a battleship would take her last plunge and disappear in a cloud of spray. One ! would settle down by the stern and another would keel over until only the keel showed above water. The Derf- finger I5indenburg, von der Tam, Moltke and Seyd1itz settled down be- sids4 each other, the last named turn ing turtle as she filled . with water. Her keel is still showing where she eapsized. The waters of Scapa Flow were dotted with small boats full of S men who had, with dramatic sudden ness settled the question of the dispo- & sition of the interned ships. Give Their ''HoChs.'' M As the first boatload was lowed Ssalon gside of H. M $. Victorious by a & &drifser 6, German officer in the boat SSMofdered his men to cheer They re- Expended with three vigorous "hochs'. ! -raft of every description followed fast to the side of the warship each Rowing boatloads of Germans, who &Iere taken on board the Victorious. khe decks of which soon became RS crowded with men and bundles. m A German officer who came aboard Svore a sword and seemed to wish to r make an impressive ceremony by Banding it over to an officer who had een in command of division of in z &srned destroycrs.
 Carried Out OdcrS.
 we are not Bolshevil1i," he said. Peace was signed today We had UT orders and have carried them Ut"
 The Germans were not aware that ae armistice had been extended un- $i Monday and there was an almost 31atinuous heel-clicking and saluting
 the officers of various ships greet
 each other on coming aboard. That @ Germans were ready for the event las apparent from the amount and
 rfety%of the gear they had with ber1, some seamen staggering under
 . weight of bundles bigger than Fl m selves the salvage representing
 rvthing from banjoes to pet dogs.
 th the officers and men seemed very #mio11s that none of their ships 5suId be saved.
 kone officer. who wore the iron cross,
 n+cd to the sinking ships and said: M German Flags Hauled Down.
 see how the German navy goes
 In with it's flags flying"
 zSuch. however, was not the case as S&t;sh sailors had boarded most of the a8unssn ships and had hauled down
 Aags before the vessels went under.
 She prospect of salvaging a few
 #bs is fairly hopeful the Mail says.