The Sea Addler.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17110, 11 October 1917, Page 5

The Sea Addler.

HOW TOE CREW WERE CAP=

TURED.

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH BLUFF.

A FIJI SENSATION,

GERMAN COMMANDER'S DISGUST

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 10. The following, from the "New Zealand Herald's" Suva correspondent, has been passed by the Censor for publication :

Friday, September 21st, was a day of intense excitement in Suva. Early in the morning a startling message came through that the steamer Amra was expected to arrive in port that evening with a detachment of German prisoners. They were members of the crew of the German raider See Adler, which, it was stated, was burned at sea. The first intimation of the arrival of these unwelcome visitors to ?r iji o,was Siven by « half-caste named McPherson, at Levuka. He said there was a strange boat with six Europeans in it at Waikava, a small island between Viti Levu and Vanua 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 Levuka with SubInspector H. G. Hills, of the Fijian Constabulary, and six Fijian police, fortunately for this little party ■ a gale blew up and forced them back to port that night. The Amra, with Captain Day in charge, arrived at Levuka and proceeded to Waikava. There they found a 22ft boat, with a cutter m _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, Inspector Howard and six Fijians gave chase. Their only weapons were a Colt 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 all were fully armed, and they surrenderedV after a short consultation. The prisoners suggested that as there was a motor in their boat the^ should to w their capers,- but the offer was rejected, and the Germans were ordered into the British boat. One German was left in the cutler to work the engine. The cutter carried a machine gun, 15 bombs, and a large quantity of ammunition.. The British officers occupied the captured boat and towed their prisoners to the Amra. Count yon Luckner, commander of the See Adler, naturally was anxious to know^the strength of their Raptors, and when, it was told him that tne guns he imagined he saw were merely cattle-pens covered with canvas, and that, the crew's sole defence were a, revolver and a pistol, his face was a study. After having beeit, a s he aserts, wounded in the Battle of Jutland, and having 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 him to have surrendered to such "bluff." The See Adler's mission m the Pacific is stated to have been the capture of grain boats and saltpetre, but yon Luckner stated that he had no luck. He says that he took no £j: a, nd did not sin^ an.y steamers. Ihe logs of many destroyed vessels were on the captured boat. AH c • A^ n gofc away iTom the fuming bee Adler, but yon Luckner will not say S^ 6 *h «y had-intended to go, except that they expected to obtain possession of a schooner leaving Fiji for America, and convert her into another pirate. •