GRIM FATE OF SEA PIRATES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2691, 10 February 1916, Page 5

GRIM FATE OF SEA PIRATES

FULL STORY OF BARALONG INCIDENT INFURIATED AMERICAN CATTLEMEN HUNS FELLED WITH FIRE-BARS By T«lesraph—Press Association—OoDyrl'lli London, February 8. The "Daily Telegraph" publishes th( full story of tho Baralong incident. The Nicosian, says tho story, carried a cai'KO of mules. She had a crew consisting of the captain, tho mate, and half a dozen men, apart from the ter or twelve American cattlemen, wlie ivere of a. breed that would ccrtainlj not lightly take a cold-blooded attempl at murder sitting down. AVhen the Ni•:osian's watch reported the Germai: submarine the latter was practically alongside, and a torpedo was immediately fired. It struck tlie Nicosian but the bulkheads held out, and the vessel only sank about a foot, with a heavy list to port. The engines were stopped and ijwo boats lowered, but the cattlemen refused to follow tho captair and crew into the boats. At this momeut the Baralong appear ed, and the Nicosian's crew rowed towards her. The submarine's commander, finding tho Nicosian winged, determined to keep his last 'torpedo foi the clumsy-looking newcomer. He seni a bombing party off to finish the Nicosian, but tlie crew had soonei clambered up on to the Nicosian thai: a couple of shells (from tho Baralong) ended the submarine. A Thrilling Tragedy. The commander then determined tc board the Nicosian and surrender, bill a thrilling tragedy ensued. The cattlemen, realising the purpose of the bombing party, awaited the boat's approach, armed with furnace-bars, • three feet long and as thick as a man's wrist. When tho Germans climbed on deck, the cattlemen made a rush. The submarine's men used firearms for o minute, but the affray was soon ended. Caught in the act of laying bombs ill an inhabited ship, the Germans found 110 mercy from tho infuriated Americans. One or two of the submariners were killed immediately. A grim chase followed, which puzzled- the Baralong and the Gorman commander, who. was now almost alongside. The trapped Germans sought safety in tho cabins njid lavatories, but tlie eloors were smashed in. Two took refuge in the tunnel of the propeller-shaft. In the midst of the struggle, a German officer and tho second boat's crew came aboard, and the same fate _ was dealt out to them. The submarine's commander rushed to the bridge, hoping that the Baralong would see and save him; but tho entire British Navy would have failed against the rage of the cattlomen. Two fire-bars were tied to his feet, and he was thrown overboard. Then the avengers stayed tlieii hands. They received a businesslike visit from aij officer of the Baralong, who then learned tho facts for the first time. [Germany alleged that the British armed steamer Baralong murdered iti cold blood tho crew of a German submarine which had sunk the steamer Nicosian. The submarine concerned was the same as sank the Arabic, and the Baralong incident occurred immediately after that tragedy. In reply t< the German accusation, Sir Edwarc Grey sent a Memorandum to Mr. AY. H Page (American Ambassador). It stat ed that- the British Government natec with satisfaction, though with some surprise, the German anxiety that tin principles of civilised warfare should b< vindicated. It was evident that tc single out the case of tho Baralonf would bo the height of absurdity, anc he suggested that tho whole questior of atrocities by land and sea might be fitly examined by an impartial tribunal As the multitude of allegations againsl Germany would overload the tribunal tho inquiry might be confined to three incidents which occurred within a few hours of the Baralong allegations. _ 11 recalled the fact that within forty-eighl hours of the Nicosian affair a Gerinar submarine torpedoed tho Arabic. Ne effort was made to save the crew, and forty-sovou non-coinbatants lost theii lives by this act of barbarism. Tho second incident was that a German do stroyer fired on a stranded British submarine (El 3) oil the Danish coast, anc when the crew attempted to swirr ashore the elestreiyer tired on them Forty-eight hours later a German sub marine fired shrapnel at the steamei Ruel, when one man was killed anc eight wounded. The Copenhagen newspaper "Aften posten's" London correspondent gavi another version of the Baralong inci dent. He stated that the German sub marine attacked the English ship oi which wore the American muleteers The latter took refuge in the lifeboats and when the Baralong sank, the sub marine the latter's crew sheltered oi the merchantman. Tho muleteeri then returned to the ship and wreaket their fury on the submariners. Tin correspondent added: —"It must not bi forgotten that the evidence published in Germany was taken in America fron witnesses who a fee, and wer< not cross-examined. An inquiry would disclose the above facts."] THE MYSTERIOUS RAIDER IDENTITY OF THE MOEWE ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, February 8. Discussing tho identity of the steamer Appam's captor, experts dismiss the submarine-oruisor theory, pointing out that the Appam's sailors would have noticed the marks inseparable from submersibles. A. well-informed writer states positively that the raider escaped from a South American port, where German money and influence are strong. The most acceptable theory is that tne raider is one of the Konigsbcrg's_ supply ships, which was hidden in tho river while the cruiser was destroyed. This fits in with Lieutenant Berg's statement'that lie had been fivo months at sea. Many of tlie raider's men had the name "Moewe" on their cap ribbons, indicating that they belonged to the crew of a survey ship sunk at Dar-es-Salaam early in the war, and managed to join the raider. I THE SUNKEN CLAN MACTAVISH. PASSENGERS AND CREAV ON THE RAIDER. (Rec. February 9, 7 p.m.) New York, February 8. Lieutenant Berg, tho Gorman commander of the captured Appam, states that with the exception of fifteen lascars killed and four wounded, all the passengers and crew of tho Clan MacTavish were taken prisoners on board the Moewo.