Posted inMaritime & Naval History

Sailors Needed

To Man the New Battleships Being Completed

USS Castine
USS Castine (PG-6)

Washington, D. C, April 9.—The difficulty in securing a sufficient number of sailors to man the new battleships and other naval craft which are being turned out by our ship-builders has led to the renewal in some quarters of the suggestion that some of the larger vessels of Admiral Watson’s squadron be withdrawn from the Philippines to make up the complements of the new ships at home. It is stated at the Navy Department, however, that no action in that direction has been determined upon, and in view of the expected arrival on the Asiatic station within a fortnight of Admirals Romey and Kempff, and the ensuing division of the naval force on the station into two squadrons, it is not contemplated that any change will be made.

Posted inShip Histories

Dreadnaught Leaves Ways

HMS Dreadnaught underway, 1906

Event That May Mark New Era in Naval Construction.

Portsmouth, England, Feb. 10.—An immense throng, including many prominent and distinguished persons, witnessed the launching of England’s latest contribution to the world’s fighting ships, the Dreadnaught.

The launch of the Dreadnaught, the largest and most powerful battleship of the world’s navies, marks the first stage in what the British admiralty claim as the greatest achievement in naval construction. October 2, 1905, only a few days over four months ago, work was commenced at Portsmouth on the vessel, the first of what is to be known as the Dreadnaught class. The promise was made then that she would be launched with in six months. The admiralty have more than made good their boast and Britishers have another cause of pride in their navy. Another 12 months, all going well, the Dreadnaught will be commissioned and join the Atlantic fleet, thus beating all previous records in battleship building by six months.

There are two reasons why work is being rushed on the Dreadnaught. One is the great saving in cost, but the chief reason is that the ship is to some extent an experiment and it is desired to give her a good trial before commencing construction on any more or her class.

Posted inWorld War 1

Full Story of Cruise of Famous German Raider Seeadler Is Related

The German auxiliary cruiser SMS Seeadler capturing the French bark Cambronne off the Brazilian coast on 20 March 1917. Depicted by Willy Stöwer.

Naval Department Makes Public Interesting Account of Exploits of Kaiser’s Seamen on Board American Vessel Which Had Been Taken From English Prize Force While Sailing For Kirkwall

Washington, November 10.—The full story of the cruise of the German commerce raider Seeadler has been obtained by the navy department from Capt. Haldor Smith of the American schooner R. C. Slade, and three other mariners, who landed at Tutuila in an open boat September 29 after being marooned on Mopeha Island by the master of the Seeadler when the raider grounded and was abandoned.

The Seeadler, formerly the American ship Pass of Balmaha, belonged to the Boston Lumber company, and was in the Nova Scotia trade before the war. After the war broke out she was put under the American flag and was captured by the British and a prize officer was put aboard her with instructions to taKe her to Kirkwall, Scotland. On the way she was captured by a German submarine and sent to Bremen, and fitted out as a raider. A picked crew was placed aboard, some of whom spoke Norwegian, and sent out into the Atlantic under the guise of a Norwegian ship.