SEA RAIDERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 115, 18 May 1931, Page 5

SEA RAIDERS

LINERS IN WAR DAYS \ r CAP TRAFALGAR’S DOOM c c A FAMOUS FIGHT. The German ships that roved the seas 1 during the war Jikc old privateers appeared to be pirates that acted upon their own initiative without regard to any concerted plan. How far this general iiupicssioa is from the truth is shown by Mr. E. Keblo Chatterton in “The Sea Haiders,” says the Mel- 1 bourne Argus. Before the war the nominal naval strength of Germany was inferior to that of Great. Britain. Germany foresaw, however, that the ■ many ocean liners which she owned ■ could be transformed into cruisers in a few hours. They would require no ex ternal alteration, except that which could be done with black paint. Indeed, the more they appeared like ocean liners the less suspicion they would create when they were met at sea. Having been coaled and provisioned they could be armed with guns and sent to waylay those merchantmen whose existence was vital to Great Britain. It was essential that at pre-arranged rendezvous there should be supplies of coal, and at least part of the supply must be mo biie. A number of well-filled colliers must be ready to steam to coal the raiders. Germany had one important circumstance in her favour. Not less than 75 per cent, of the exports of Britain were coal. The armed German liners, therefore, might bo sure of being able to help themselves to us much coal as they required. To Shelter. Six years before the war Germany issued instructions to the captains of her liners. If hostilities appeared to be imminent, each captain was informed, and the ship was in a neutral port, she was to remain there. If she were on the sea she was to make for the nearest neutral harbour and await further directions. These orders were supplemented in February, 1914. Every master of a North German Lloyd vessel equipped with wireless received a document marked “strictly confidential, }> which told him that, in order to announce the outbreak of war, news would be transmitted by the Norrddeich wireless station. AU the German ships were directed to listen at 7 a.m., 1 p.m., and 11.10 p.m. In April, 1914, orders were given that wireless practice must take place daily between German trading vessels and men-of-war. The German Admiralty compiled a “Cruiser Handbook.” In this was given a list of the secret rendezvous to which liners so ordered could go immediately to be fitted with guns. One of the rendezvous was near the Bahama Islands and off Florida (U.S.A.); another was a lonely island in the south Atlantic Ocean, Trinidad, a most inhospitable spot several hundred miles east of Brazil, notorious alike for its terrible landcrabs ami its heavy seas and for the futile visits of searchers after treasure. Great Britain Acts. Although the German Admiralty made plans to employ merchant vessels in the event of war many years before war occurred, the British Admiralty took steps even earlier, ny «n agreement made with the Cunard Company in .1903 every vessel of the line was to bo at the disposal of the Aamtralty. While German-American passenger ships were turned into armed merchant cruisers for the purpose of raiding commerce, a number of British liners were similarly converted, but for exactly the opposite purpose. The commercial shipping of Germany acted on the defensive, and sought immunity in neutral harbours. It could not therefore be harried. British liners and tramps carried on n uch as usual. The few passenger steamers which, were armed for offensive action could not be employed to raid German commerce, for all Teutonic sea-borne trade disappeared when the bugles of war sounded. The vessels of the Cunard line and other lines were needed to protect British trade and to seek out enemy raiders. Other liners were required to enforce the northern blockade. At 8 o’clock on the morning of 7th , August, 1914, three days after hostilities broke out, the Cunard liner Carmania arrived at Liverpool from the United States. Her passengers were landed as quickly as they could step across the gangways. Then the Carmania was taken into dock to discharge her cargo, and to fit out as an armed merchant cruiser. Fast Work. The alteration from a luxurious, transatlantic floating hotel to a grim warship was made with amazing speed.