Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1917 — GERMAN SHIP WAS MADE GIANT BOMB [ARTICLE]

GERMAN SHIP WAS MADE GIANT BOMB

Cylinders of Koenig Wilhelm Packed With Inflammable Cotton for Explosion. SHIPS NOW BEING REPAIRED Mischief Wrought on Llnera Under German Peace-Time Plotting— Koenig Wilhelm Will Soon Be Ready for Sea. New York. That havoc was wrought to many of the vital parts of the German ships in this country upon the breaking off of diplomatic relations was known shortly after ths damage was inflicted on the vessels, but the extent to which the orders from Germany were carried out to make the vessels unfit for use against her was never made known.

Upon the declaration of a state of war existing between the United States and the German empire, the vessels were seized and steps were Immediately taken to fit them out for service under the Stars and Stripes. It was also known that prompt action by the United States officials frustrated plans for what might have resulted in permanent crippling of the ships. Still the interesting details of their condition were concealed. The New York World has obtained and presents to the public the first concrete facts of what was done to one of the large liners under the German peace-time plotting. Made Cylinders Destructive Bombs. Photographs of the actual damage to the North German Lloyd liner Koenig Wilhelm II have been made, and they sljow how the cylinders of her engines were broken and even stuffed with a chemically treated cotton, so that two of her high pressure cylinders were virtually turned Into huge high explosive bombs. All this was done while she lay in the North river at West One Hundred and Thirty-fifth street, New York. If they had been set off they might not have blown up surrounding property, but they would have shattered the ship.

This is why Collector of the Port Malone and his entire staff sat up all night waiting for congress to declare a state of war existing and upon receipt of a flash that congress had acted, pounced upon the sleeping Germans. He had known to some extent what was going on, but could not prevent it while peace remained, as the ships were private property and the government was determined not to violate the rights of their owners. After the United States government the ships, and an examination was made of them, it was found that four of the eight cylinders of the Koenig Wilhelm’s quadruple expansion engines were damaged beyond repair, but as the rest of her machinery and her hull had not been Injured, it was decided to rjeplace the broken cylinders and use her. She was taken to the yard of the Morse Dry Dock and Repair company, South Brooklyn. In her engines are four low pressure cylinders, two on each engine, two intermediate cylinders and two high pressure cylinders. Two of the low ones and the two high pressure ones

were damaged. Sections of the steam chests at the bottom had been broken away by driving steel taper pins in three-quarter inch holes bored in the casings and then wielding sledge hammers against the castings. Then all this damage has* been covered with clay, which was 'used with asbestos as a covering for the cylinders. This was done apparently in the hope of the engines being started in case the Geriflans did not have time to blow up the cylinders. Had steam been forced into the cylinders they would have collapsed with the first thrust of the pistons. Mysterious Explosive In Cylinders. But the turning of the cylinders into virtual bombs was the most Ingenious designing of all. Two high pressure cylinders were found to have been stuffed with what was at first supposed to have been gun cotton. There was enough to fill a barrel in each cylinder. The substance has not yet been put under chemical analysis, but it is thought to have been cotton treated with sillco, a liquid compound, colorless, fuming and inflammable, which is made by subjecting silicon to heat in the presence of hydrochloric acid gas. It is believed this was to have been used to set off gun cotton, which was to have been placed In the cylinders Just before the vessel was seized. There was evidence that tackle was to be used to hoist the piston of each cylinder and-drop them by cutting the tackle. Copper pins that had been driven into the cylinder so they projected on the inside would have caused friction when the cylinder heads rubbed against them, setting off the cotton. This would have burst the cylinders and caused damage that only could be conjectured. As a result of finding the cotton, the electric engines, dynamos, pipe lines and other parts of the liner are being opened up for traces of explosives. If none are found, the cunning of the Germans will have gone almost for naught and the Koenig Wilhelm II soon will be ready for sea.