CHAPTER XII
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE

Night had set in as we approached the danger zone. In front of us sparkled the steady fire from Cape Henry, while astern Cape Charles threw out her lights at short intervals through the darkness. With these as our bearings we went on calmly to face the decision.

Suddenly two searchlights flashed out over the water to starboard. The accursed rays passed quick as lightning over the dark waves. I counted several seconds mechanically, then the full glare of the searchlight struck us in the eye....

It was already too late to submerge, and the treacherous light held fast on to the "Deutschland."

A rapid glance passed between the two of us in the tower, our features showed up distinctly in the beautiful free illumination....

Then we saw that the rays of the searchlight, after they had made sure of us, rose twice high in the sky and suddenly disappeared. As our eyes grew accustomed to the darkness again, we discovered two black vessels to starboard which looked like fishing trawlers.

"The cursed gang!" murmured Krapohl, at my side; "now they have betrayed us!"

And he was right, unfortunately.

For over yonder on the coast a gigantic searchlight flashed high in the sky, obviously as a signal to the English cruisers waiting outside.

"Now was the moment," I thought.

"Make ready to submerge," my orders rang out.

"Ten fathoms down!"—at the same time we took a course to the south.

Half an hour later we rose to the surface again, as I wanted to take my bearings once more. Hardly had I taken a glance round, however, than we were obliged to avoid immediate danger by submerging again. For close by, barely 200 yards off, an American armoured cruiser was bearing down on us.

She also had seen the remarkable flash signals, and was coming along to watch over the proceedings in the vicinity of American territorial waters. Although, according to the newspapers, the armoured cruiser was supposed to have been ordered into Chesapeake Bay for manœuvres, I am of opinion that the American Government had ordered the ship to go out to the three-mile boundary line, in order to watch events in connection with our escape. I am also personally strongly convinced that the excellent tone in the officers' mess and among the crews of the American marine would not have allowed the men of the armoured cruiser, in the event of any violation of the territorial water zone, to restrict themselves merely to observation, but that they would have taken an energetic part in the proceedings.

That such a violation was not by any means beyond the realms of possibility, and that it was probably only prevented on that memorable night by the sudden appearance of the American armoured cruiser, is borne out by the following circumstance. Several days before our departure an English cruiser had passed Cape Henry under cover of mist and darkness and searched the whole of Chesapeake Bay in the most shameless manner, after which, without making her identity known, she disappeared again.

In the meantime we had quickly forced our boat heavily down by the head into the deeps, and did not rise to the surface again till the noise of the American's propeller had died away in the distance.

We knew that the most dangerous moment of our whole voyage was near at hand. We took a careful view of the situation once more, and made all the necessary preparations for our "Deutschland."

Then we submerged again and went on, all our faculties strained to the uttermost, our nerves filled to overflowing with that cold excitement which inwardly, so to speak, causes one's hair to stand on end, while outwardly one is quite calm, gripped in that icily clear deliberation which only comes to those who are fully conscious that they are face to face with an unknown danger....

We knew our way. It had been already brought to our knowledge that fishermen had been bribed to lay nets in stated positions outside the three-mile boundary line—nets in which we were to be caught fast, in which, moreover, devilish mines had been interwoven.... Or perhaps the nets might be merely attached to buoys, which we should drag along behind us, and thus betray our position....

We were prepared for all contingencies, and had made everything ready to free ourselves from the nets if the worst should happen. But the worst did not happen.

It was a dark night. The lights from the two capes shone calmly, with friendly eyes on land, while a few miles farther out death lurked in every conceivable form.

But while the English ships travelled backwards and forwards, lighting up the waters with their searchlights and seeking us in every conceivable spot, they little knew that at times, close on their heels, a periscope proceeded on its leisurely way, and underneath this periscope—the "U Deutschland."

At 12 p.m. that night, after hours of indescribable tension, the command rang out: "Rise to the surface!"

We were through.

Slowly the "Deutschland" rose through the water, the tanks were blown out and the oil engines started.

At full speed we rushed on out into the open freedom of the Atlantic, while behind us in the north-west, the English, with whole bundles of searchlights, sought the waters in vain.

They must have grown somewhat irritable towards the end!

CHAPTER XIII
THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY

Never had the "Deutschland" travelled so swiftly as in those early morning hours of the 3rd August. With marvellous speed she raced on, leaving two broad streaks of foam on either side.

The engines rumbled in perfect rhythm, the combustion was working without a flaw, and the exhaust showed not the slightest cloud, so that even Herr Kiszling was thoroughly contented, and in a moment of unconscious tenderness nearly stroked the shaft of his beloved engines....

When the sun rose the coast had long disappeared from sight in the distance in a grey mist, and there was no vessel of any kind to be seen.

We remained on the surface and raced on like the very devil. How much we owed to our engines! On our arrival at Baltimore, after our long and difficult journey they had been still in perfect condition; no repairs were necessary, and we could have made the return journey immediately without their being overhauled. And yet the engines had been obliged to work under quite unknown conditions, under conditions which like that of the terrible temperature in the Gulf Stream had made the very highest and most unforeseen demands on every part of the machinery.

It can be easily understood that hitherto there had been no opportunity of testing the working capabilities of oil motors in an outside temperature of 127 degrees Fahrenheit. Such a contingency could never have been foreseen in the construction of our type of boat, and the fact that our motors never struck, that not the least hitch arose, proves the excellence of the construction and the perfect workmanship of the dockyard.

Thus we continued on our way, and only too soon found ourselves in the damp heated atmosphere and heavy air of the Gulf Stream, with all its beautiful phenomena and peculiarities, its electrically laden air and stormy sea. With closed hatches and heat in the boat we faced it once more. And the Stream would not even help to push us along on our course, as we had hoped.

All hardships were, however, borne with light hearts this time. We had left the danger zone behind us, and were homeward bound. Moreover, the sea had become calmer the nearer we approached the area of the Gulf Stream.

On the evening of the second day it had become possible to open all the deck hatches again. Hardly had we begun to rejoice that the fresh air would now make conditions below deck bearable once more, when suddenly the order came, "Close hatches!" "Submerge!"

A steamer had appeared and was rapidly approaching so directly in our course that we could not possibly have avoided her above water.

When we rose to the surface again an hour later night had set in, and with it appeared a most marvellous natural phenomenon of sea phosphorescence of unearthly splendour.

We had submerged in a calm dark sea; we now arose to an ocean of flame. A sea phosphorescence had set in of an intensity and glow such as I had never before experienced, and which is probably only to be found on the borders of the Gulf Stream.

During our rise, and when we were at about 2 fathoms below the surface, it seemed as if we were working upwards through a glowing realm of sparkling transparency. Shortly before the conning-tower arose above water I glanced round astern, and saw the entire hull of the boat, with the stern like a dark mass pushing its way through the glowing element. A fiery whirlpool radiated from the propeller, and every movement of the boat aroused the wildest phosphorescence—intensive flames, sprays of sparks, and fiery streaks in the surrounding waters.

Above, a fresh breeze had set in and whipped the seething waters into glowing balls, while showers of sparkling foam covered the entire deck. As far as the eye could reach the surface of the sea was one pale glowing mass, through which our boat ploughed its way in furrows of fire.

We stood transfixed as the phenomenon increased in intensity with the sea and wind.

All the men off duty came up and stared out at this enchanting spectacle, little heeding the seas which swept over the deck, soaking many of them through to the skin.

"It looks like fire, don't it? But blowed if it don't put yer pipe out," remarked our giant boatswain. A spurt had just extinguished his pipe for the third time, and he reluctantly decided to store the beloved stump carefully in his pocket.

But the "fire" grew wetter and wetter, and within half an hour the officers on duty and look-out stood once more alone up in the conning-tower.

When we got out of the Gulf Stream we had several days of stiff north-westerly winds and high seas, until, on the —— August, we ran into fine weather again.

On one of the following evenings the first officer on duty, Krapohl, was standing with Humke in the conning-tower scanning the horizon without ceasing, through the glasses, at a point where the pale sky seemed to merge into the sea without any observable boundary line.

"Light ahead," announced Humke suddenly.

"If you mean that star, I've noticed it already," the officer replied, calmly lowering his glasses.

"Wal, I dunno, but that there ain't no star, Herr Krapohl," the sailor replied, unabashed.

The two called out to me, and I came expectantly out of the tower, took the glasses and then laughed.

"Humke, you're on the wrong track!" for I noticed high up above the horizon a faint white light which stood too high, judging by its strength, to be a ship's light.

The boatswain stolidly maintained his opinion, however.

"Cap'n, that there ain't no star."

I handed him the glasses which he, however, put aside at once, remarking:

"Ye can't see nothink properly with them things."

He shut his eyes tightly, then took another sharp look and said in decided tones:

"That ain't no star; that be a light!"

We stared before us with increased sharpness till I was able at last to make out through the glasses a red glow which now became visible to the right of the white light. Now we knew that a steamer was approaching us.

At first I held her to be a small vessel, particularly as, to begin with, the height of the two lights differed but slightly—the red port light of the steamer was not much below the white light.

But soon I was surprised to observe how noticeably the red light moved, that is to say, how quickly the space between the two lights appeared to increase.

From this there was only one possible conclusion to be drawn, and that was that the vessel was approaching with extraordinary rapidity.

While I was considering this, and picturing it to myself as a swiftly travelling destroyer, I discovered at a fair distance behind the two lights something that looked like a white moving ray, or like a faintly illuminated wave.

We could not make out what this meant till I decided that this wave must belong to the lights themselves, as they moved together and kept pace with each other. And a few minutes later there appeared tremblingly on the strong lens of the glasses the faint outline of a mighty steamer, which with elaborate superstructure was approaching in the dark night. The white ray of light was her stern water, which owing to the colossal length of the ship was only visible at a considerable distance from her side lights.

For some minutes longer we continued to stare, then we discovered four towering funnels, and were soon convinced that we had a big Cunard liner in front of us which was racing up in semi-darkness, only showing her head-lights.

It really was a ghostly apparition, to observe how the mighty darkened ship raced on through the night. There is not much need to be romantically inclined in order to picture this meeting with the "Flying Dutchman," while Humke expressed his feelings in the words: "Lor', ain't she just a beauty, lads!"

"Full speed ahead!" and with "helm hard astarboard" we slipped away from the course of the mighty Cunarder. All the men of the watch off duty meanwhile had come up to get a view of her from the deck and hatches.

In spite of a sharp look-out nothing appeared in sight during the next few days. The weather keeping fine our homeward journey—even more than when we were outward-bound—assumed the character of a peaceful, uneventful business voyage.

It was now that we first began fully to appreciate the convenient and practical inner fittings of the whole boat, and particularly our cabins and cosy little mess-room. Often as we sat round the table at mess while the gramophones played gaily, we thought with gratitude of those who had not only invented the seaworthy shape of our boat, but had fitted her interior up so that a life of comparative comfort and ease was possible even under the sea.

When on these occasions our gallant Stucke, with his blonde white hair, his honest face full of earnest gravity, and his habitually surprised expression placed a bottle of good red Californian wine in front of us, as we lay comfortably "somewhere" at the bottom of the sea, while overhead, at a height of X fathoms, a hearty wind was blowing, it needed little imagination to picture oneself as a second Captain Nemo, who with his highly modern Nautilus could probe the depths, and snap his fingers at the injustice and tyranny of a certain people—provided, that is to say, one had read Jules Verne.

For I must here confess, what I had hitherto carefully concealed from everyone, that it was only as captain of a submarine trader on my return journey from America that I was enabled to make good a very sad deficiency in my education. The chance I had wasted in my youth I now came across at the age of forty-nine in the steel body of the "U Deutschland," of making myself acquainted with Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea.

The book had been sent me while I was at Baltimore through the kindness of an American friend. It is a book—how shall I describe it?—of incitement and emulation. I read it with the greatest interest.

The rest of our return journey is soon told. We travelled on smoothly and peacefully homewards, avoiding a few distant steamers above water—in which little game we had gradually become extremely well practised—and meeting on the whole with good weather, some mist, and much smooth sea.

One afternoon I was sitting working at the writing-table in my cabin, when suddenly I heard from the control-room close by the order "20 to starboard" repeated. Immediately after came "10 to port," whereupon, without waiting to hear any more, I hurried on deck.

There a strange sight awaited me. All around, as far as the eye could reach, the sea was covered with a mass of dark, floating oil casks through which we had to steer our way.

At first I took the black, weird-looking objects, which danced up and down on the waves before us, for a mine-field, until the characteristic shape of the sharp angular casks, or so-called barrels, and their contents which had spread partly over the water, testified to their harmlessness. Nevertheless we had to steer carefully through this strange plantation, as the area was too wide a one to avoid without going considerably out of our course. We estimated the number of casks that were visible to us as at least a thousand.

"Fine practice," remarked Krapohl, "for the elegance with which we shall twist through the English mine-fields later on. I think we might risk the return through the English Channel."

We went on, therefore, at half-speed to port—starboard—port, for over an hour. Scattered parts of vessels were to be seen on the water, possibly the results of wrecks or mines.

We must by this time have gradually come within the sphere of the English look-out ships. The watch was doubled, everyone standing at their submerging stations.

From time to time we noticed vessels whose attention we avoided by submerging or altering our course. One warship, apparently a small English cruiser, we allowed no possibility of seeing us by immediately diving. When, after an hour's undersea journey, we again rose slowly to the surface, we saw from a depth of 6½ fathoms, through the periscope, another English ship, and went down again to 11 fathoms, and this was repeated three times in succession.

At noon we rose at last for good, emptied the tanks, and then travelled at top speed over the water.

Favoured by the fine weather we approached our goal with considerable rapidity; and on August —— at eight o'clock in the evening, we saw a circle of white lights all round the horizon.

Our natural fear was, of course, that we were surrounded; if we turned to starboard we saw those accursed lights, to port—there they were too.

Finally our excellent Zeiss glasses removed our fears that at the last moment with the homeland already in sight we had fallen into a trap. The twilight was still clear enough to allow us to see and recognize from the construction of the uncanny-looking ships that only some harmless Dutch fishing boats lay before us.

CHAPTER XIV
THE ARRIVAL

Favourable winds astern helped us on towards home. On August —— at six o'clock in the morning, our alarm was raised once more. In the far distance something appeared on the water which looked like the sail of a boat, though certainly of a very strange appearance. As it approached nearer the sail turned out to be the conning-tower of a U-Boat, which, with her deck still dripping, was going on her way.

Although we were at first inclined to take careful and instructive observations of the strange object in the distance, in order to judge how we ourselves showed up at a distance of three knots, the best course in our case appeared to be to find out as quickly as possible if she were an English or a German submarine.

We preferred, however, in any case to make ourselves as unnoticeable as possible, and in the last emergency to submerge.

We had already flooded up to tank 3, already the sea broke over the deck and struck against the conning-tower, and even the latter was cutting half-way down through the green waters—when suddenly a well-known flag signal rose yonder, which gave us the certainty that it was a German U-Boat in front of us.

We answered immediately, and gave the command directly after:

"Empty the ballast tanks!"

Never had I given orders with such a cheerful heart on the "Deutschland" before, and never was it more cheerfully carried out than when I called down to the control-room:

"Hurrah! the first German U-Boat in sight!"

What did it matter that we were standing on the tower and the barely risen deck in oil and sea water with a shower-bath playing over us?... There, over the green North Sea, came the first greeting of Germany, the mighty Fatherland, towards us! At full speed we rushed on, everyone on deck, and before long the two boats lay within calling distance of each other.

The first ear-splitting hurrah was flung across to us, and answered in like manner.

Then greetings and news were exchanged, and our ways parted again ... ours towards home, the U-X to her work.

The day drew in and night fell once more. So we travelled homewards, no light on deck, no light in the tower—like a dark shadow.

When the sun rose, however, on the following morning, we saw before us in the distance a characteristic silhouette, breaking through the veil of mist in a rosy light. An island, a bulwark in the North Sea—Heligoland lay before us.

Soon life began to awaken on the waters around us. Torpedo-boats shot up, patrol boats hurried along, flag signals fluttered in the air, wireless signals rattled out their greetings, and shouting and hand-wavings commenced, and then the iron ring of the German Fleet, which keeps safe watch over yonder, closed round our little "Deutschland," and under their protection we steered on past Heligoland towards the home haven.

But as we approached the well-known waters, even before the low homelike sandy coast came in sight, a wonderful spectacle fell to our lot, the strangest of greetings carried out with the utmost skill.

From the land two huge birds seemed to rise into the air—two seaplanes which approached at full speed and then sank like gigantic water-fowls on the gently moving surface of the sea.

They shot down with their floats just brushing the surface of the water, till within a stone's throw of the "Deutschland," made a lightning turn, crashing by us, approached again and sprang literally over our heads, racing low down over the conning-tower, with cheers and waving of caps....

This was our reception from the latest weapon of the German Navy.

One should not make comparisons. But as we once more approached the German coast, surrounded and protected by the German Marine, I suddenly found myself comparing this with our arrival in America.

No one could have been received with more hearty enthusiasm than we had been by the Americans. A free, untroubled people, they rejoiced in a bold deed, and openly declared their sympathy for a new and unheard of enterprise, which it had required men to fulfil.

But here we were more than bold and interesting adventurers. Here our own people received us again as helpmates in their mighty struggle. Here the delightful spectacle of her power under the sea, on the sea, and in the air was presented to us.

This was for me the real meaning of the glorious greeting of our airmen. This was what I felt as the look-out boats accompanied us safely as far as the outer Weser, where we cast anchor before the Hohenweg lighthouse, for the first time after many a long day.

CHAPTER XV
THE RECEPTION OF THE "DEUTSCHLAND" BY
THE GERMAN PEOPLE

From the outskirts of Heligoland as far as the outer Weser we had been received by the Navy. On the voyage up the Weser and at Bremen the whole nation received us.

On the afternoon of the 23rd August the "Deutschland" had struck anchor at the mouth of the Weser. The news had been spread by telegraph throughout the whole country—this longed-for news, which awakened unbounded rejoicings.

We learnt to our surprise and proud delight that the arrival of the "Deutschland" was to inaugurate a festive holiday for the whole German people, that such a reception awaited our little boat on the banks of the Weser as surely never fell to the lot of any "lucky ship" before. Our journey up the Weser assumed the nature of a triumphal procession. Behind the hundreds of thousands who had come to meet us and stood cheering on the banks, stood invisible the millions of German people inspired with the same feeling.

This was expressed to us everywhere in overwhelming rejoicings from old and young, high and low, from the German Kaiser down to the merest dock worker and the small ragged urchin who, full of enthusiasm, waved his flag and shouted in the streets of Bremen.

On the 25th August, early in the morning, the "Deutschland" commenced her triumphal trip up the Weser. It poured in torrents, but nothing could quench the public rejoicings as we moved along accompanied by the blockaded steamers, our masts and conning-tower decorated with garlands of roses.

Low hung the dark clouds in the heavens, and the rain pelted down on the thousands who stood on the dykes or who had come to meet us on steamers, barges, launches, and rowing boats. Deafening cheers arose from the town, and the clashing of bells mingled with the joyful acclamations, while above it all rose the song of "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles," which on that very day was celebrating its seventy-fifth birthday.

In Nordenham, Brake, Blumenthal, flags salute, guns thunder out, factory and steamer whistles send their piercing greetings; shouts of welcome and good wishes ring out from the North German Lloyd steamers, to which we respond by waving back.

Vegesack is passed, where work on the Vulcan Docks has ceased, the dockers standing in hundreds on the quay. Their wild cheers accompany the "Deutschland" on her triumphal way. The inhabitants of Vegesack are all assembled at the landing-place and on the banks behind.

Again music and singing, the roar of guns and storms of rejoicing! Thicker and thicker grow the crowds as the ship nears her home haven.

Shortly before twelve we reached Lankenau, whose dyke had been chosen as an observation point by the whole of Bremen, it appeared. Elbow to elbow the people stood waving with hats, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, hands....

At noon punctually the "Deutschland" sailed into the open harbour, and placed her invited guests, 'mid sounds of "Deutschland über alles," on the highly decorated pontoon, on which the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, the representatives of the Bremen Senate and burghership, the civilian and military authorities, the marine, the shipping officials, etc., and among them Count Zeppelin, were all assembled to receive us.

As soon as the ship was moored I called the men up to take their positions on deck. Dr. Lohmann then addressed us in the following speech:

"Your Royal Highness, Your Magnificencies, Your Excellencies, My very honoured friends,—At this historical moment of the happy return of the first submarine merchant-trader of the world, after a voyage of 8,500 knots, I here welcome our 'Deutschland' and her gallant crew, not only in the name of our shipping officials, but of the whole German people, back to the harbour of their homeland. Quietly and only known to an initiated few, they left the Weser, passed through and under the English Fleet, to arrive on the 10th July at Baltimore with a valuable cargo of dyes. Their arrival was a surprise to the whole world. Even navigation experts shortly before this event had declared it to be an impossible undertaking.

"It is with particular pleasure that I am able to state that all true Americans who are not demoralised by a degrading Mammon service to England—men with the freedom-loving instincts of a Washington and a Franklin, greeted the arrival of the 'Deutschland' in America with warmest satisfaction. It is the pride of our shipping officials that we have been able to send dyes to America under the German flag in the middle of this war, while America herself cannot even get her post from Europe unmolested, to say nothing of the many other violations of the rights of humanity by sea and land on the part of our enemy, in connection with the neutrals, and particularly the small states.

"To accomplish this has been the work of the crew of the 'Deutschland.' Though they started off without any previous announcement, their departure from Baltimore was made publicly known beforehand. 'It resembled a triumphal procession,' wrote Havas, 'and a symbol of freedom.' I myself should like to compare the deed with our German view of the 'Rights of the Peoples on the free Ocean.' The enemy were not able to prevent their departure from Chesapeake Bay, and a blockaded North Sea did not exist for them on their return voyage, as will be proved by the many million marks' worth of goods which have to-day been brought from America, and which lie at this moment before our eyes.

"They have performed a task of seamanship that is worthy of our Hanseatic forefathers. Everywhere throughout German lands, and among our faithful allies, but particularly among our brothers in the trenches and in the fleet, their return voyage has been followed with deepest sympathy. With strongest confidence in their judgment, energy, and sense of duty, we members of the shipping world have looked forward to their return. After their long and strenuous weeks in the narrow confines of a ship, face to face with unscrupulous enemies, I welcome them heartily back to the Homeland. In the midst of this murderous war I convey to them the thanks of our German people for their peaceful deed. And I should like to express these thanks by calling for three cheers for the 'Deutschland,' her commander, Captain König, her officers and crew. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"

I answered with a brief toast to the Senate and burghership of the free Hansa city Bremen. We then boarded the pontoon, where each one of us was saluted and drawn into conversation by the Grand Duke of Oldenburg and the other gentlemen present.

After completing a distance of 8,450 knots, from which only about 190 under water must be deducted, the first submarine merchant-trader had reached home. The "Deutschland's" first voyage to America was completed.

On the evening of this memorable day a big dinner was given at the Town Hall by the Municipality of the borough of Bremen, to celebrate the homecoming of the "Deutschland." The speeches that were delivered on this occasion give a short outline of the circumstances which led to the building of the "Deutschland," and for this reason they shall be repeated here.

Dr. Barkhausen, the Mayor, had received his guests with words of hearty welcome, and informed them of the Municipality's decision to have a special medal struck in memory of the day, and had then toasted the German shipping officials, and the crew of the submarine merchant-trader "Deutschland."

In the name of the Shipping Federation, their chief representative, Dr. A. Lohmann, replied in the following words:

"Your Magnificencies, Your Excellencies, my most honoured gentlemen,—In the name of the commander of the 'Deutschland,' Captain König, and of his officers and crew, I wish to express to the Municipality their most heartfelt thanks, as also that of the Shipping Federation, for the great honour granted by the Municipality to the crew of the 'Deutschland' in allowing a medal to be struck in commemoration of this peaceful commercial deed in the midst of war.

"I wish to thank your Excellencies for the words in which you have graciously acknowledged the work of my colleagues and myself. Since the outbreak of war I have gladly and willingly devoted my efforts towards the welfare of the State. The conviction that our splendid people, in spite of the superior force of the enemy, are not to be crushed in this defensive war for their individuality and freedom, that the intellectual power and forethought which inspire our entire people, their thorough training since the wars of liberation, and the inborn sense of duty which has come down to every German in flesh and blood, are not to be overcome, this conviction has accompanied me throughout all my efforts, and everywhere I have met faithful colleagues who were of the same opinion.

"I should like therefore at this point to express my heartfelt thanks to all my fellow-workers, and in particular to Herr Direktor Stapelfeldts, and my colleagues on the Board, Herr General-Direktor Heineken, and Herr Hermann, Councillor of Commerce. The German Ocean Shipping Federation was formed, as your Excellencies have already stated, in all secrecy, and their task consisted in forwarding goods of the utmost possible value.

"It meant, moreover, purchasing the raw materials on the other side, their careful warehousing, the placing of the 'Deutschland' in a safe position, and protecting her from all attacks. This was carried out to perfection by the North German Lloyd agents, Herr Paul Hilken and his father, Herr Hilken, Senior, as well as by Captain Hinsch and his co-operators. The share which Captain König and his officers and crew took in the enterprise has already been brought into prominence by your Excellencies. For my part and on behalf of the shipping directors, I should like here once more to tender our fellow-workers on the 'Deutschland' our very hearty thanks.

"It will interest the gentlemen present to hear something of the history of the German Ocean Shipping Federation and of the 'Deutschland,' the 'Bremen,' and her as yet unnamed sister ships.

"When in September, 1915, it became evident that, in spite of all the successes of the Central Powers, the war would continue for many months yet, it was obvious that Germany's demand for rubber and metals was of burning necessity.

"I therefore took the shipbuilding authorities in Bremen into my confidence, after I had held counsel with one of the most prominent shipbuilding experts. The 'Weser' declared itself ready to draw up and carry out the plans for a submarine boat of about 500 tons carrying power. On the 3rd October I came into possession of the completed plans of this boat. The period of construction unfortunately ran into eleven months, the delivery being therefore completed about September 1st, 1916, for the docks were first obliged to have the motors built. It was obvious that we must make an effort another time if possible to reach our object more quickly. Almost at the same time that the practical evolution of a submarine merchantman was under our consideration, the Germania Dock at Kiel had, unknown to us, handed over at the beginning of October to their chief house, Friedrich Krupp and Sons, plans for the construction of a U-Boat of about 700 tons carrying capacity.

"The Germania Docks were prepared, in the short space of six months, to deliver the first boat, the 'Deutschland,' as early as April.

"Both plans, those of the Germania Docks as well as my own, showed that the project was possible to carry out, and I should like to compare this community of ideas with a happy marriage, where husband and wife are in perfect harmony with each other—the dockyard, as the mother who brings the child into the world and gives it to the father—the shipowners and commerce—to place it in the world. The soul and mind of the child were incorporated in our Captain, our officers and crew, who have performed the glorious task of taking the 'Deutschland' to America and back.

"On the 15th October we had come to an agreement, and the construction of two boats was taken over by the Germania Docks from the Syndicate. The formal part of the establishment of the German Ocean Shipping Federation was delayed somewhat. Its establishment took place on the 8th November, and the boats which had in the meantime been ordered by our Syndicate were already under construction as far as their framework. The 'Deutschland' was delivered over to us at the beginning of April.

"It was a wonderful masterpiece of the Germania Docks, and, as is usual with all the work of Messrs. Friedrich Krupp and Sons, it was perfectly carried out. Before we sent our 'Deutschland' to America, we made trial trips with her for over two months. The execution of the work proved to have been carried out perfectly in every respect. Captain König was able to announce from America that after a voyage of over 4,000 knots ship and machinery were in perfect working order; his report on arriving here in Bremen harbour was just the same. It is a masterpiece of German technique, and the name of Messrs. Krupp and Sons appears in shining colours once again.

"From the creation of our artillery, from the 42's down to the smallest specimen of ship guns that began successfully to break the chain of the British Fleet in the Skagerrack and prepare the way for free trade among the nations, to the production of arms and war material of every description—the German people now owe their thanks for this perfect piece of construction to the ingenious leaders and directors of the greatest works in the world. Without Krupp, our enemies would not now, after two years of war, be standing everywhere on the other side of their boundary lines.

"The intelligent co-operation of mind and body, the employment of all the newest scientific discoveries, added to the true German sense of duty, these are the qualities that have made Krupp and Sons famous. To-day, on the return of the 'Deutschland,' we are face to face with another wonderful production of shipbuilding technique on the part of the firm of Krupp, and for this also the German people owe their thanks to them. I should like to ask you all, gentlemen, to give expression to these thanks by joining with me in three hearty cheers.

"The firm of Friedrich Krupp and Sons, Germania Docks. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"

After the next course, Herr Zetzmann, the Director of the Germania Docks at Kiel, proceeded as follows:

"Your Magnificencies, Your Excellencies, Most honoured gentlemen,—To my lot has fallen the honour of expressing in the name of the firm of Friedrich Krupp and Sons and of the Germania Docks, our heartiest thanks for the invitation that has been extended us to-day by the Municipality, and I also take the liberty of extending my thanks to the distinguished guests of the Corporation assembled here.

"... Herr Lohmann has made some interesting communications in his speech with regard to the history of the origin of the German Ocean Shipping Federation, and I should like to add a few words about the workshop from which the 'Deutschland' and 'Bremen' sprang. We had been forced to admit for some time past, that owing to the continued duration of the war the need of certain building materials was becoming increasingly urgent.

"From the conversational remarks 'it might be possible,' and 'we really ought to,' arose the decision to consider seriously the possibility of a new kind of trading vessel.

"The decision was no easy one, not merely because we feared the difficulty of construction, but because we hardly dared to place a fresh load on our building yards, which were already heavily overburdened with war orders. But necessity teaches how to beg,—and also how to construct! We next tried to work on the foundations of our war boats, in the hope that by this means we should lessen the constructional work. We found, however, that on these lines reliable tonnage capacity and carefully measured space were not to be attained.

"Our leading constructors advised me, therefore, to go radically to work, and not to try and make a trader out of a warship, but to create a new type of trading boat altogether. The shape of this was to be made full and rounded, and exact calculations gave us a better tonnage, much to our surprise and pleasure, than we had anticipated at the commencement of our project. With wild enthusiasm our constructors completed their plans, and soon we stood face to face with a picture whose transformation into reality would express our every wish.

"... Herr Krupp von Bohlen and the Directors seized on our proposal with the greatest energy ... and declared that a boat of this type must most certainly be produced, and in the shortest possible space of time, that moreover the Germania Docks would begin directly on the construction of the boat on their own responsibility.

"... Everything went like clockwork.... There remains only one thing more for me to say. That we succeeded in completing the first boat in so short a space of time is due in a great measure to our principal firm and to our contractors, who delivered all our building materials and necessary fittings in spite of the other great demands that were made upon them, with astonishing rapidity.

"I wish particularly to express my appreciation that all the dealings with the German Ocean Shipping Federation, and later with the staff of the boat, were completed in the most friendly of spirits. Both Shipping Federation and command staff have met all our proposals with the greatest confidence.

"It is owing to this intelligent and broad-minded preference that the rapidity of the construction was made possible, and that the trial voyages went so smoothly. With the greatest confidence, therefore, we saw the ship undertake her first voyage.

"Our confidence has brilliantly justified itself. Our most ardent wishes with which we followed this product of our dockyard have been fully realised.

"We wish the Shipping Federation further brilliant successes of this kind, the 'Deutschland' and her sister ships many equally happy voyages, for the welfare of our beloved Fatherland, and for the glory of our revered Hansa city, Bremen.

"To-day's celebration will be for all who have taken part in it a remembrance that they will carry to the end of their lives, and the celebration has been brought to a close in the most approved fashion by the dinner given in the new Town Hall by the Municipality. When this new part of the Town Hall has grown as time-worn as the old, perhaps tales will be told of how the successful ocean voyage of the first submarine merchant-trader in the world was celebrated here.

"Together with our thanks for the splendid feast, I should like to join my good wishes for Bremen, and I ask the honourable gentlemen present to join in the toast: 'Long life and prosperity to the Municipal Corporation of the free Hansa City of Bremen and to the town of Bremen. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!'"

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