White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-05-24
CHAPTER II
Fake Norwepians

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1t was In a gay cafe in Hamburg.
In 1915, war times were growing hard
In Germany, but still the CAFES were
astir with life and gaiety. A naval
officer on shore leave could soon find
surroundings that would enable him
to forget the harsh life on dread
naught and cruiser. My friend Dali
stroem and l, over glasses of Swedish
punch, chatted for an hour and then
another hour.
An orderly wedged his way through
the crowd and handed me message.
It was from the admiralty, ordering
me to report at Imperial headquarters
on the morrow.
The following morning found me in
Berlin. entering the naval holy Of
holes. standing expectantly at atten.
ton before an old German sea lord
with a face as stern as the cliffs at
Heligoland. The orders I had come
to hear were parked at me quick and
short.
"You are to take command Of YES
SELL" said the admiral. "We want you
to run the blockade and raid enemy
commerce. Since we have no coaling
stations, a sailing ship will be the best.
Do you think you can do it?"
"Yes, sirl I'd like nothing better"
Good health and high spirits had
given me boundless confidence. l was
the sort of fellow who believes he can
do almost anything-at any rate, any
thing with sailing ship. The adj
miral replied that the mission was
mine. And 1t turned out that | had
been picked for this venture because
happened to be the only officer in the
German navy who had served Gin
SAIL"
"What," the admiral asked, Should
you consider of the greatest impor-
lance for the venture?'
"Luck," l replied.
Gall right; then take the Pass of
Balmaha. She has already carried
British prisoners for us. She has been
lucky for us once, she may be lucky
for us again."
The admiralty officials had picked
the Pass of Balmaha because she was
a staunch ship, an American clipper,
built in Glasgow. They had also
picked her because she had suddenly
arrived in a German port with an IN
expected present of some British pris-
oners for us. We sailors believe in
good and bad omens, and we are right.
Now, about the past record of this
Yankee clipper that was to be convert
ed into German raider. The Pass
of Balmaha had sailed from New York
with a cargo of cotton for Archangel.
Her commander was Captain Scott,
well-known American shipmaster, a
big-hearted, bushy-bearded, New Eng
land skipper with very red face.
Off the Norwegian coast, British
cruiser hailed her. Uncle Sam was
then neutral, and the blockade was
getting tighter every month. The
British were becoming suspicious of
everybody, including neutrals and
themselves. The overcautious COM
mander of this cruiser, although he
had no grounds for suspicion, ordered
the Pass of Balmaha to turn back to
the search port of Kirkwall In the
Orkneys.
Leaving an officer and prize crew of
six marines on board, with her fun
nels belching columns of black smoke.
the British patrol cruiser continued
on her North Sea beat AS soon as
the Pass of Balmaha had turned her
nose toward Kirkwall and Scape Flow,
the British prize officer ordered the
American flag pulled down and the
British flag run up.
81 wish the Germans would come"
ragged the Yankee skipper. And the
very next morning his wish was grant
ed! A U-boat popped up to the sur.
face about half mile away. Captain
Scott waggled his beard in the English
mans face.
"Serves you right! With the Stars
and Stripes up there, they wouldn't
bother u.s. Now they'll take us all to
Germany. So far as you chaps are
concerned. the war is over right now
You will get cocky, will your"
The Britisher was alarmed. He saw
visions of himself locked in Prussian
prison for "the Duration" So he
climbed down from his high horse In