Listing continued from ADM 137/23/2. Folios 153-167: North Wales (ship’s official...

Listing continued from ADM 137/23/2.

Folios 153-167: North Wales (ship’s official number 122825), owned by Messrs. Hugh Roberts & Sons, Newcastle-on-Tyne, captured and sunk by Dresden on 16 November 1914 in position Lat. 37˚30’S Long. 77˚0’W. Under the command of Captain Griffith Owen she sailed from Juan Fernandez Islands on 14 November 1914 to the Falkland Islands on charter to the Admiralty with 740 tons of coal. She was about 43 miles to eastward of trade route and following Admiralty instructions. The crew was transferred to the auxiliary Rhakotis and landed at Callao, (folio 154). Index of documents, (folio 155). Telegrams, newspaper cutting and letter dated December 1914 regarding loss, (folios 156-159). Shipping casualties form dated 15 December 1914, (folio 160). Letter 14 December 1914 from Captain Owen to The British Consulate, Callao on loss, (folios 161-162). Examination on oath of Captain Owen, 22 December 1914, (folios 163-164). Note 22 January 1915 (paper number TD 1982) by Commander Bosanquet that capture by Dresden was by chance, (folio 165). Foreign Office telegrams of 14 and 30 December 1914 from and to Mr Rennie in Lima regarding status of Rhakotis as she was acting as an auxiliary to Dresden. As Captain Hill refused to give any statement on the Rhakotis, there was no diplomatic way to have her detained in Callao, (paper number 15926), (folios 166-167).

Folios 168-176: SS. Conway Castle (ship’s official number 101959), owned by The Ship Conway Castle Co. Ltd., Carnarvon captured and sunk by Dresden on 27 February 1915 in position Lat. 37˚21 S Long. 81˚58’W. A sailing ship under the command of Captain John Williams she sailed from Valparaiso on 17 February 1915 for Queenstown with 2,401 tons of Barley. When captured she was 187 miles from the trade route and was unfortunate in being in the track of Dresden on her way to Juan Fernandez Island, (folio 169). Index of documents, (folio 170). Telegrams dated 12 March 1915 from Valparaiso reporting loss, (folios 171-172). Cutting form the Times Santiago reporting the loss of the Conway Castle and the search for the Dresden and her surrender, (folio 173). Shipping Casualty report form dated 18 March 1915, (folio 174). Examination on oath of Captain John Williams dated 30 April 1915, (folios 175-176).

Part 10: Kronprinz Wilhelm.

Folios 177-202: Auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm. Table of ships captured by the German Cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm and her auxiliaries. Details include date captured, position, gross tons, voyage, Owners, cargo and its value, (folios 178-179). Index to names of Ships Captured by Kronprinz Wilhelm: Indian Prince sunk, La Correntina sunk, Bellevue sunk, Hemisphere sunk, Potaro sunk, Highland Brae sunk, Wilfrid M sunk, Chasehill captured, cargo taken and released, Tamar sunk and Coleby. Auxiliary supply ships: Prussia, Ebernburg, Sierra Cordoba, Otavi, Holgar, Navarra and Obenwald, (folio 180). List of reports, telegrams and press cuttings, (folios 181-182). Letter dated 23 November 1914 from Captain A. Murrison of La Correntina to Houlder Bros., the ship owner. After capture the crew and passengers were taken on board the Kronprinz Wilhelm and he reported on her operation and the transfer of coal and stores, (folios 183-185). Report dated 27 January 1915 from the French Minister of Marine to the French Naval Attaché in London on the capture of French merchant ships, the Kronprinz Wilhelm operating on trade routes and her need for coal. Deductions based on the reports the French captains, on the operation of Kronprinz Wilhelm, (folios 186-188). Cutting from the Times 1 February 1915 on Highland Brae, Potaro and Hemisphere being overdue, (folio 189). Telegrams dated 17 - 23 February 1915 from Buenos Aires on the crews released from captured ships, (folios 191-194). Newspaper cuttings of 22 February 1915 on the release of crews of captured ships, (folio 195). Letter 9 January 1915 (paper number M 17808) from the American Consul in Teneriffe to the Secretary of State in Washington concerning the release in Las Palmas of the crews of captured ships, (folio 196). Telegram from Rio de Janeiro and newspaper cutting, 18 February 1915, on the German supply ship Schwarsburg, (folio 197). Telegram 20 March 1915 from Porto Rica and newspaper cutting 22 March on the German supply ship Odenwald, (folio 198). Letters 24 and 26 March 1915 asking if supply ships used as scouts and the estimated speed of the Kronprinz Wilhelm, (folio 199). Letter dated 24 February 1915 (paper number M 19370) from the Consulate in Buenos Aires to London reporting of the internment of the German supply ship Holger in Argentina, (folios 200-201). Letter 23 February 1915 (Paper number M 19370) from H.C. Mackie, Buenos Aires reporting the capture of the British steamships Highland Brae, Potaro and Hemisphere and the sailing ship Wilfrid M and the release of the crews, (folio 202).

Folios 203-213 Report dated 2 March 1915 (paper number M 02435) from Captain Frederick Shirley Litchfield, HMS Caronia to Rear Admiral North Atlantic Station on information about Kronprinz Wilhelm received from two release crewmen who had been on board captured ships. Forwarded to Admiralty, (folios 203-205). Report (NID. 2504) dated 26 February 1915 from the Naval Attaché Rio de Janeiro on the release of captured British seamen and the movements of German merchant ships, (folio 206). Report 24 March 1915 by Captain R.W. Robinson of the S.S. Longhirst of his observations of stores from German merchant ships interned in Pernambuco being transferred to the German merchant ship Holgar which subsequently sailed to join the Kronprinz Wilhelm, (folio 207). Telegrams 3 April 1915 from Montevideo and from French Marine, Paris reporting that Italian ship Oercaro had met the Kronprinz Wilhelm at Lat. 2˚14’S Long. 25˚59’W on 25 March 1915, (folio 208). Newspaper cuttings from the Times and Lloyds List in April 1915 regarding the Kronprinz Wilhelm, (folios 209-212). Intercepted cable 30 April 1915 from the German Admiralty in Berlin to the Kronprinz Wilhelm to “Lay the Ship Up”, (folio 213).

Folios 214-245 SS Indian Prince, owned by The Prince Line Ltd. Newcastle-on-Tyne, captured 14 September 1914 and sunk by Kronprinz Wilhelm. Under the command of Captain J.R. Gray left Bahia on 2 Sept. for New York with a cargo of coffee, cocoa, salted hides, skins, rosewood and rubber. When captured was 125 miles to eastward of usual trade route and following instructions, (folio 215). Index of documents, (folio 216). Telegrams dated 25 September 1914 reporting vessel overdue, (folios 217-228). Telephone message and telegrams 25 September 1914 reporting capture, sinking and release of crew, (folios 229-234). Offer from Prince Line, 20 October 1914, and acknowledgement for Captain Gray to visit the Admiralty, (folios 235-239). Report 24 September 1914 (paper number M 21674) made by Captain Gray to the British Vice Consul at Santos on capture, transfer of stores and sinking, (folios 240-241). Extract from official log 24 August 1914 showing that Captain Gray was following navigation instructions, (folio 242). Report 29 September 1914 from British Consulate Rio de Janeiro that German ship Ebernburg arrived with seventeen of crew of the Indian Prince, (folio 243). Letter 17 September 1914 from Captain Gray while still on board the Kronprinz Wilhelm to the Consul General in Rio de Janeiro requesting assistance for his crew, (folio 244). Cutting 8 February 1915 from Lloyds List regarding the German Prize Court in Hamburg and the submission of claims for destruction of neutral property, (folio 245).

Listing continued in ADM 137/23/4