A NEW RAIDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9630, 10 April 1917, Page 2

A NEW RAIDER

DANISH STEAMER CAPTURED ANr> USED BY HUNS. It is reported by the South American press that the Danish steel screw steamer Hammershus (3831 tons) has been captured in the South Atlantic by a new German raider of the Moewe type bear iug the name Puyme, and forced to assist that vessel, acting partly as an auxiliary cruiser and '•artl- as a supply- ship (says a “Central News” correspondent). . The owner of the Hammorshus. intimate that the statement is true in so far as it refers to happenings some time ago, but that a stop has been put to the activities of their vessel. The Hammershus left Rio Grande on January ■|2th for Santos, fell in with the Puyme, and was captured, her Danish crew being taken on board the German cruiser, and a German naval crew put aboard the Hammershus. On January 22nd the Hammershus entered the bay of Rio de Janeiro and cast anchor near a number of German ships which have been interned there since the beginning of the war. Prom these vessels she obtained provisions, and also, as was later brought to light, considerable quantities of munitions, but when by night the Hammershus attempted to leave for Santa Cruz the guard discovered the attempt and ordered her to stop. The order was not obeyed, and the guns of the fort opened tire, whereupon the Hammershus stopped. , She is now interned under the supervision of Brazilian warships. It is the general opinion of Scandinavian sea captains with wide experience at Atlantic voyages during the war, that the I uy me, like the Moewe. is enabled to maintain her supplies of provisions and munitions mainly through the instrumentality of other German ships which, at the very beginning of the war, were deliberately nosted at various remote in the South Atlantic.