THE IMPRISONED SHIPS.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 21, 17 March 1919, Page 5

THE IMPRISONED SHIPS.

A VISIT TO SOAPA TLOW. 'Fishingl' That one word expressed the feelings of tlic skipper of. the drifter as lie passed the surrendered German Fleet anchored in Scapa Flow. It was not so much tho word as the tone in which it was said —and tho tone conveyed the feelings of the British naval men towards the German Navy to-day. There thoy were, in their lines, the flower of the German Fleet. Along the quarter-decks, in a row by the taffrail, leaned a collection of German seamen with, bamboo poles and lines attached, catching little fishes, and from the portholes, too, there were German heads and more fishing lines. What an end <to it all! .When one takes for granted tho clocH-work discipline of a British battleship it is a good corrective to sec thcso German crews. Admitted that they are feeling tho disintegrating effects of lying, a surrendered band, in tho iron embrace of tho British Fleet; all that admitted—still, one does not expect to see an officer forced to push his way through two lines of lounging seamen before he can reach the side or his ship. Still less does one expect to hear audible comments from a crew when its officer is speaking to a British officer bringing his mails Least of all docs one expect to see a fine battleship, well built and woll gunned, in a neglected and dirty condition. All of these things one sees if one looks upon tho German Fleet.

Tkcro wore exceptions, of course. In tho German admiral's flagship tho discipline was bettor. Strangely enough, it was hero alone that a member of the Sailors' and Workmen's Council was on view with a white band round his arm. Ho was almost over-careful in giving the saluto to his officers —a very uncommon compliment in tho German Scapa Flow fleet at present. Tho !Derflinger again, looked in good trim. Tho main impression gained from the collection of German seamon who fished and fished was, firstly, their variegated, ragged, and dirty clothing, and, secondly, their extremely youthful appearance They appeared to bo making the host of a bad time, but they wore singularly uninterested with regard to their own officers and ships. The officers still seemed to wish to be smart and to extract comfort out of their position with difficulty; but which position they did not like—being in Scapa Plow with a fishing crew or being nonentities in their own ships, is their secret. In the wardroom of one of the German ships is & picture of tho Kais'er slashed across; so one does not know what to think. And while tho German crews angled from their ships out in the Firth wero British battleships at target practice. A neutral observer might have wondered which was tho 'Silent Navy. 7 Silence comes from two causes, however—strength and weakness. —' Viadux,' in tho 'Daily Mail.'