Chatterton - The Sea Raiders

THIS is the story of Germanys marvellous raids, the period 1914-18. The exploits of Emden, being so well known, are purposely omitted, but the general public may find more than ordinary interest in the marvellous world-wide organization and the thrilling events which marked the German endeavour to destroy liners, tramp steamers, colliers, food ships, sailing craft, and others. In its vastness, its carefully thought out detail, daring and originality, its bluff and deception, its amazing situations and fierce duels, we have one of the most gripping narratives in the whole story of the sea.

The author has been privileged by the British Admiralty to examine the requisite documents in the Admiralty archives, and to obtain information from participants in the case of certain happenings. This is not the story of how sea-borne trade was carried on during the war, nor is it a record of the work done by the crews of brave merchantmen. My object has been to present a picture of German-American liners and other units being sent out as armed raiders to make the seas dangerous for traffic; and to show to what extent they were assisted by regular, naval, cruisers. The problem of finding food and fuel on voyage, the ramifications of secret agents in North and South America, West Indies, and along the Pacific coast are now capable of being appreciated as a whole.

No more risky enterprise day after day, week after week, can be conceived than that of hovering about on the sea-lanes, usually within wireless range of British cruisers; and the narrow escapes, the coincidences, the exciting moments rival breathless fiction. But it is not merely a campaign of iron men, steel ships, wireless, secret cyphers, strong passions, delicate diplomacy, but a cinematograph-like panorama of wide oceans, tropical seas, romantic islands, snow-capped mountains, lonely hiding-places, and terrible gales of wind. And we can study these adventures with the knowledge that this was honest warfare. For none of the submarine brutalities and the mean tricks, the murdering of women and children comes into these chapters. On the contrary, these raider captains fought with clean hands and had scrupulous regard for civilians. The days of privateering being long since passed, and piracy being now confined to Chinese waters, there is something about this modern steamship raiding which affords in its reading a secret vicarious pleasure. Most of us in the younger days had a sneaking regard for rovers of the sailing ship era who sallied forth to refresh themselves from peaceful merchantmen and then go off to find fortune in another locality. We had the feeling that this must be glorious fun to live exciting life at its fullest.

So, in the ensuing pages, we shall cruise as far north as the Arctic, as far south as Cape Horn, eastward across the Pacific, westward across the Atlantic, in and out of secret bays, through mist and fog, sunshine and moonlight. It all reads like a piece of exaggerated fiction one of those novels that make one forget the monotony of safety yet every word is historically true and supported by facts. These were living men in real ships, and the crises were more wonderful than any human imagination could invent. For those who take a serious interest with regard to naval problems there emerges from this narrative a valuable set of data touching the necessity of cruisers. We see, as in a concentrated plan, the worlds marine highways spread out before us, and the highwaymen pouncing upon the rich cargoes. The drama which arises is the means of illustrating by actuality all that was mere theory. But, because it is a story so human and filled with the glamour of the unexpected, and the contest of brains is so keen, we find ourselves led on and on without stopping to worry about principles.

I desire to return thanks to the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Charles Madden, late First Sea Lord, and to Rear-Admiral B. E. Domvile, C.B., C.M.G., late Director of Naval Intelligence, for the facilities so courteously granted in making researches at the Admiralty; to Vice-Admiral J. D. Allen, C.B., and Captain Selwyn M. Day, C.B., D.S.O., R.N.R.; to the Imperial War Museum; to the Cunard Steamship Company, and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, for valuable assistance in supplying information and for permission to reproduce illustrations. The photographs of Kent and Dresden, taken on such unique occasions, form an historical record of particular interest.

E. KEBLE CHATTERTON.

THE story of the German surface sea-raiding campaign is one of extraordinary interest, alike for its meticulous plans as for the determination and daring in its operation. In comparison with the submarine efforts, we shall find in these surface attacks not the same persistent policy: yet there is a series of brilliant achievements and of enterprising successes that composes one of the most thrilling sections of naval warfare. And to-day, now that at last we are able to have the facts before us, we can view the whole fascinating drama in its right perspective.

If, however, this phase of hostilities was more intermittent than that of the U-boat periods, yet the sphere was far wider. It demanded an organization that had to be in perfect working order long before the European War broke out; and there had to be trustworthy, reliable officials overseas who would maintain this secret system throughout the months when communication with Berlin would be difficult and even impossible. The German pre-war plan in regard to merchant ships was twofold: the preservation of her own property and the destruction of her enemies vessels.

How was this to be brought about? What were the problems which presented themselves? In actual practice we shall observe that the carrying out of well-considered schemes was adequately rewarded: the vast machinery for assaulting ocean commerce was set going with remarkable celerity, and it worked extraordinarily well. That same enterprise, far-sightedness, and astute cunning which had built up the German Mercantile Marine in seventy years, contrived likewise that its rivals should suffer when peaceful competition ended. Germany in 1914 was second only to the British Empire as owner of steamships, but there was a greater solidarity and cohesion.

For, about 60 per cent of German shipping was in the hands of ten lines which amounted to one powerful union ready for the Governments instant service. These ten comprised the Hamburg-Amerika, the North German Lloyd, the Hamburg South American, the Hansa, the German-Australian, the Kosmos, the Roland, the German East Africa, the Woermann, and the Hamburg-Bremen-Africa lines. This huge association represented 3,194,000 gross tons, and there was also the German Levant Line of 155,000 tons. Subsidised to the extent of 107,950 annually, the whole of this mercantile navy was in effect a powerful national combine. Down to the early nineteenth century the Honourable East India Company had been the largest shipowners in the worlds history: but in August 1914 the Hamburg-Amerika Line with its fleet of about 500 vessels, its seventy-five distinct services calling at four hundred of the principal ports and carrying over 400,000 passengers yearly, was the biggest shipping corporation that had ever existed. Founded in May 1847 with a capital of 465,000 marks, it began with three sailing ships of 717 tons, and so prospered that on the eve of war it possessed 1,093,000 steam tonnage.

Similarly the North German Lloyd Company rose to rapid affluence. Their first Atlantic steamer was the Bremen, built by Caird of Grennock in 1858, but such was the wealth of their passenger trade that in 1897 they were able to launch the twin-screw Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. It was this vessel which with a speed of 22.81 knots was able to outstrip the Campania and Lucania, and thus for the first time the blue riband of the Atlantic passed from Britain to Germany. The historic part which this four-funnelled liner was to play in commerce-raiding will presently emerge. Another of the North German Lloyd modern liners was the Berlin, built in 1908, and she likewise was destined to play an important part in our story. Altogether this company owned 716,000 of all Germanys tonnage when finally the Great War broke over the sea.