CAPTURE OF THE RAIDERS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11365, 11 October 1917, Page 4

CAPTURE OF THE RAIDERS.

EXGITEFENT AT SUVA.

HOW BLUFF WORKED.

GERMAN CAPTAIN’S FORTIFICATION

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Last Night. The following from the ’Herald’s’ Suva correspondent has been

passed by Censor for publication. Friday, September 21st, was a dixy of intense excitement in Suva. Early in the morning a startling message cam© through that the steamer Amfa was expected to arrive in port that evening with a detachment of German prisoners. They were members of the crew of the German raider Seeadler, which, it was stated, was burned at sea.

The first intimation of the arrival of these unwelcome visitors to Fiji was given by a half-caste named Macpherson at Levukia. He said there was a strange boat with six Europeans in it at Waikava, a small island between Oiti-Levu and Vhnua^Levu.

The natives, it was stated, became alarmed because these strangers would not talk and were armed.

It was decided to investigate the matter, and a cutter was despatched from Lev aka with Sub-Inspector H. O. Hills, of the Fijian Constabulary, and six Fijian police. Forturiately for this • little party, a gale blew up and forced them back to port. That night the Anna, with Captain Day in charge, arrived at Levuka, and proceeded to Waikava. Here they found a 22 feet boat with a cutter in tow which, when the \ Amra was sighted, immediately put off for a break in the reef. , Captain Day, who was determined not to lose his quarry, lowered a boat, and Sub-Inspector Hills and Inspector Howard and six Fijians gave chase. Their only weapons were a Colt’s revolver and an automatic pistol. * Fortunately the bluff that was being maintained proved so successful that the occupants of the cutter did not show fight, although an were fully armed, and they surrendered after a short consultation.

The prisoners suggested that, as there was a motor in their boat, they should tow their captors, hut |he offer was rejected, and the Germans were ordered into the British boat. One German was left to work the engine of the cutter, which carried a machine gun, 15 bombs, and a large quantity ojf ammunition. The British officers occupied the captured boat, and towed their prisoners to the Anna.

Count Von Luckner, Commander of the Seeadler, naturally was anxious to knew the strength of their captors, and when it was told him that the guns he imagined he saw were merely cattle pens covered with canvas, and that the crew’s sole defences were a revolver and a pistol, his face was a study. After having been, as he asserts, wounded in the battle of Jutland, and having had command of a vessel that, according to his story, had the proud distinction of having sunk 23 boats in the Atlantic, it was indeed an indignity for to have surrendered to such a “bluff.”

The Seeadler’s mission in the Pacific is stated to have been , the capture of grain boats and saltpetre, but Von Luckner stated that he had had no luck. He says that he took no lives and did not sink any steamers.

The logs of many destroyed vessels wore on the captured boat. All the men got away from the burning Seeadler, but Von Luckner will not say where they had intended to go, except that they expected to obtain possession of a schooner leaving Fiji for America, and to convert her into another pirate.