FATE OF THE L19.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4158, 8 February 1916, Page 5

FATE OF THE Ll 9.

KING STEPHEN’S DILEMMA.

CAPTAIN’S ATTITUDE VIN DICATED.

! GERMANY SHEDS CROCODILE 3 ■ TEARS. (LONDON, Feb. 6. Captain Martin, master of the King Stephen, who discovered the wreck of Zeppelin Ll 9, states that he shouted to those who floated on the Zeppelin, “What, »s the matter?” A German replied: “Send a boat. I will give five pounds.” He was gentlemanly and polite, and spoke good English. Martin replied: “If we help you’ll sling us overboard and navigate the trawler to Germany.” The Zeppelin officer said: “I pledge my word and take my dying oath we will do nothing of the kind.” Martin would not take risks. Ag he was leaving the Zeppelin officer said: “We are sinking.” The others cried : ‘‘Mercy ! Save us f’_ ! and then shook their fists. The Bishop of London, in an address delivered in London, said 1 the British people ought to stand by the King Stephen’s skipper for refuging to trust a German’s word. If the Germans had been rescued they would have seized the trawler, and the whole German press would have applauded the act as clever strategy. The “Lokal Anzeiger,” dealing with the King Stephen incident says: “This fresh infamous action is another disclosure of British brutality.” The “Vossiche Zeitung” describes it as a blot on Britain’s escutcheon. i The “Kreuz Zeitung” says the in- I cident was more cruel than the. Bara- J long, with deeds of base cowardice. French newspapers .widely comment on the King Stephen incident and declare the trawler had no option but to act as she did. The “Journal” remarks: “The wretched murderers succumbed probably after terrible agony, not by. retaliation, but by natural precaution, wherefore it was impossible to blame the trawler. The Germans have least reason to complain when they are victims of their'own brutality.”