Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-09-18

d 4 men came the uh.NNAs
lam stopping-now."
Number One. tell them 70 stand by
the searchlight." said the captain TO
the first lieutenant "Signalman, tell
him to place IFS navigation lights"
Very promptly in response to the sig
nal the lights appeared upon the
strange ship.
Now make, Remain where you are.
l will board you at daylight
What the searehight Revealed.
When the distance between the ships
| had been reduced to about a mile the
order was given to switch On the
searchlight The great white streak
! shot across the sea until it settled on
the mysterious craft. In large letters
across her stern ran the legend, "Tur-
ritella, London"
II believe l have been fooled after
all" said the captain to himself. The
searchlight also revealed party SHOW
| ing off in a boat, presumably contain
ing the irate skipper, wanting TO know
what the blank blank all this business
meant, for in the eastern waters they
were not accustomed to it. Presently
there came q strange voice through
mcgaphone from the strangers bridge;
Switch off that damned search
light"
He seems to be getting bit ratty.
Shall switch Off"
The order was given, and darkness
prevailed once more. Some minutes
| later the eastern sky began to glow,
feebly at first, casting a kind of half
light over the face of the seas-a mere
glimmer in which objects appeared
without shape Out of this gloom
there arose such a babel of sound as
brought US all to the ships side. Dimly
we could discern two boats, one on the
port and one on the starboard side of
us, both crowded with occupants, who
were iabbering in some strange tongue
like a lot of excited monkeys.
Germans Sank Their Own Ship.
Just as we came abeam of the
strange ship we saw a cloud of smoke
shoot up from her, which was followed
by the heavy thud of an explosion.
Next moment there came another
heavy thud, and we saw that the Tur-
ritella was beginning to sink by the
head. We steamed past her and began
to circle round her at respectful dis
lance, for ships which carry explosives
may carry them in the form OF torpe-
does. Gradually the eastern sky began
to flush red the hue was reelected by
the sea, until one could have fancied
that the stricken ship was staGT1sss 'Ese
waters with her blood. And then we
saw a third boat rowing away from
the wreck in the direction of the other
two. We swung round to return and
pick them up.
AS we approached the first two boats
we realized why we had failed to un-
derstand the language. They were full
of Cinnamon all talking at once, IN
state of hysterical agitation. We wait
ed eagerly for the third boat. AS II
drew up alongside one gangway two
officers stepped briskly up the ladder,
and were followed by twenty-six men,
each wearing q round blue cap with
two black ribbons falling down behind.
Across the front of the cap ribbon was
printed in gold letters "Kaiserliche
Marine" We had not been fooled
after all.
The TurriteIIa's Story.
The story of the Turritella is briefly
this. She had been captured from the
Germans early in the war. In Febru-
airy, 1917, she set out from Shanghai
with a Chinese crew and British Off |
GERS: she put into Rangoon TO pick up
cargo, and again into Colombo, where
she spent some days loading up. she
left Colombo on Feb. %, 1917, and four
DAYS later walked straight into the
laws of the Wolf. Her British officers
and men were taken aboard the raider
as prisoners, but the Cinnamon re-
manned in her. A German prize crew
then took possession of her; she was
loaded up with mines and sent off to
Alden to lay her eggs just outside the
harbor. Her subsequent movements |
had all been carefully planned to fit In |
with the program revealed by the |
ships papers. On March 6 she was !
due in Prim, where she intended to
call. looking as innocent as lamb,
with her Chinese crew on the upper
deck and her German ratings slowed
below. Thence she was to proceed to
the Red sen to lay more mines, and |
afterward TO rejoin the Wolf at ren.
devious.
Could she have carried out this pro.
gram If she had not happened to fall !
in with us? There was at least n
sporting chance. Her second officer
spoke English as fuently as his own
language, and without any trace of an
accent. He had spent eight years in
our merchant service. and had the
manners and bearing of an English
officer. But the weak spot in the com.
pany was evidently the signalman.
That signal "Why did you not stop me
when / was passing Aden?" was bril-
liant. II showed real genius. But
the signalman completely ruined II by
spelling Alden with "t."