BIG GERMAN PLOT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14235, 1 March 1917, Page 6

BIG GERMAN PLOT.

BURNING INTERNED SHIPS. IN NOCK-NT WIRELESS MENAGE. BLAZK AT HONOLULU. SYDNEY, February 21. Judging from information, which has ; just been received from Honolulu, there' can be no doubt that the German popu-| lation fully expected, and were prepared' for, a break between America and Germany. At Honolulu eight vessels, including the gunboat Geier, were interned, and a close watch has always been kept over the movements of the crews. One of the steamers, the Elsaas, . will be remembered by Sydney people because of her sensational dash from this port the day on which England declared war on Germany. At that time the Elsass was berthed at Woolloomooloo Bay, and when clearing out she carried away part of the big Municipal Baths. However she got away, and made for the nearest safe port. The other ves«j".s at Honolulu comprise German ships which were at one time engaged m the Hamburg-Pacific coast trade. As far as the American authorities were concerned, the action of the. crews was at all times well within the bounds of neutrality, but underlying all these doings was a .big conspiracy— an arrangement made, no doubt by the use of wireless from Hamburg, for sudden action m the event of trouble coming from "America. The plot, according to the officers of I an American ship, was to blow .up all interned ships at American ports at a ■ given r.ignal. While, the vessels were lying peacefully at anchor "the crews I were prepared to lot them remain, but they knew that if America went to war J the ships would be manned' and used for the benefit of the Allies. That whs « something that would have to be pre- ' vented at a.l costs. According.' a. wire- t !ess signal was agreed* to -which wotold warn the Germans of what action was J necessary. In itself the message, when it was flashed out to all ships'^ not only, , at Honolulu, but those held alonij the Pacific slope, appeared to be a h^rm-l-"ss one for it read, "Do you want, stores?" ' To the Germans it meant, "Diplomatic , relations broken, destroy shins." The ' order was promptly executed, and m ( Honolulu six merchant shins and the Greier were soon m flames. The gunboat was alongside a wharf, and as the ' flames damaged the wharf, the American , police took the whole of the crew prison. " er, on a charge of attempting to destroy American property. In each case the ' fires were overcame, and though the vessels are all damaged, more or less, they * can be repaired.

The Honolulu Star Bulletin of .February 6 states that instructions received by inspector Halsey from the Department of Commerce and Labor are exolicit — to assume control over, all German seamen m Honolulu.' The. officers and men of all the German reragee ships ■\re now held at the immigration station. The instructions were received' following on the arrest of the officers and men of the Pommern and Prinz Wa'demar. Men of the other ships were then given the choice of voluntarily entering tho :u.stodv of the immigration authorities •>r being arrested. They surrendered. The crew of another ship held at Hilo was also brought to Honolulu. When tho last boat called at Honolulu all the Germans were held epioly, and were •lot giving any trouble to their keepers.