Catalogue description Listing continued from ADM 137/23/1. Part 9: Dresden. Folios 66-81: Dresden. Table of...

Listing continued from ADM 137/23/1.

Part 9: Dresden.

Folios 66-81: Dresden.

Table of ships captured by the German Cruiser Dresden and also her auxiliaries. Details include date captured, position, gross tons, voyage, owners, cargo and its value, (folio 67).

Index to names of ships captured by Dreden, namely: Hostilius stopped and released, Drumcliffe stopped and released, Lynton Grange stopped and released, Siamese Prince stopped and released, Katharine Park stopped and released, North Wales sunk, Conway Castle sunk. Auxiliaries are Baden, Prussia, Santa Isabel, Rhakotis, Gotha and Holstein, (folio 68).

List of reports and press cuttings, (folio 69).

Trade Division report for the period 6 to 26 August 1914 covering sighting¡¯s of Dresden, distance travelled and estimates of coal requirements, RN warships available to search and a list of ships stopped, (folios 70-72).

Letter dated 24 August 1914 from D. R. O¡¯Sullivan-Beare, British Consulate-General, Rio de Janeiro concerning the capture and sinking of the SS Hyades, (folios 73-74).

Instruction 24 August 1914 from the ship owner to Captain of S.S. Hyades at Pernambuco to proceed to Las Palmas unless detained by British authorities, (paper number M 16709), (folio 75).

Newspaper cuttings on the search for Dresden and her sinking at Juan Fernandez and her being in Chilean territorial waters, (folios 76-81).

Folios 82-93: SS Hostilius, owned by Messrs. R.P. Houston & Co., The British & South American S.N. Co., Liverpool, captured and released by Dresden on 6 August 1914 in position Lat.1¢ª21¡¯N Long.45¢ª1¡¯W. The Officers and crew declined to sign a declaration that they would not give any support to the British Government against Germany. However the ship was allowed to proceed. Under the command of Captain J.N. Jones she sailed from Montevideo on 26 July 1914 with a cargo of largely sun dried beef for Barbados and Cienfuegos, Cuba. Although directly on the trade route, the Master was unaware that war had been declared, (folio 83). Index of correspondence, (folio 84). Correspondence on capture and the refusal to sign the declaration, (folios 85-93).

Folios 94-102: SS Drumcliffe, owned by Messrs. Joseph Chadwick & Sons, Liverpool, captured and released by Dresden on 6 August 1914 in position Lat. 1¢ª10¡¯N Long. 45¢ª5¡¯W. The radio equipment was destroyed and the Officers and crew were made to sign a declaration that they would not give any support to the British Government against Germany. Under the command of Captain Evans she sailed from Buenos Aires on 24 July 914 and the Master had not received any special instructions, (folio 95). Index of correspondence, (folio 96). Correspondence on capture and release, (folios 97-102).

Folios 103-106: SS Lynton Grange, owned by Messrs. Houlder Bros. & Co, London, captured and released by Dresden on 6 August 1914 in position Lat. 1¢ª13¡¯N Long. 45¢ª8¡¯W. The Officers and crew were made to sign a declaration that they would not give any support to the British Government against Germany. Under the command of Captain H.L. Simpson she sailed from Rosario on 24 July 1914 for Barbados and had not received any special instructions, (folio 104). Index for extract from ship¡¯s log, (folio 105). Extract from ship¡¯s log on capture and signing the declaration, (folio 106).

Folios 107-125: SS Hyades (ship¡¯s official number 110588), owned by The British & South American S.N.Co., Liverpool, captured and sunk by Dresden on 15 August 1914 in position Lat. 6¢ª0¡¯S Long. 32¢ª46¡¯W. Under the command of Captain John Morrison she sailed from Pernambuco on 14 August 1914 for Rotterdam with 4,400 tons of maize and foodstuffs for Germany. Although complying with instructions by being 20 miles to east of usual trade route, the ship was crossing a number of other trade routes. The Officers and crew were transferred to the German vessel Prussia and landed at Rio de Janeiro on 20 August 1914, (folio 108). Index of documents, (folio 109). Telegrams on sinking, (folios 110-114). Report from D. R. O¡¯Sullivan-Beare, British Consulate-General, Rio de Janeiro, dated 24 August 1914, (paper number M 16709) on capture, Dresden¡¯s poor gunnery and Officers and crew being landed, (folios 115-116). Owner¡¯s instructions, dated 24 August 1914, (paper number M 16709) for the ship to proceed from Pernambuco, (folio 117). Examination under oath of the Master John Morrison (paper number M 16613), (folios 118-119). Extract from a letter 28 August 1914 (paper number M 17303) to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from H Norman, British Consul at Buenos Aires on the absence of any port to which captured ships can be sent, (folios 120-121). This letter being forwarded to the Admiralty 24 December 1914 (paper number M 21918), (folio 122). Letter dated 3 November 1914, (paper number M 21981) from Stephen H. Way, British Vice-Consul in Pernambuco on instructions given to Hyades to proceed, (folios 123-124). Covering letter 12 November 1914 (paper number M 21981) from D. R. O¡¯Sullivan-Beare, British Consul in Rio de Janeiro, (folio 125).

Folios 126-133: S.S. Siamese Prince, owned by Messrs. James Knott, The Prince Line Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne, captured and released by Dresden on 16 August 1914 in position Lat. 10¢ªS Long. 32¢ªW. Under the command of Captain William Anderson she sailed from London on 30 July 1914 for the River Plate. She was stopped 160 miles off the regular trade route and released presumably due to her neutral cargo, (folio 127). Index of documents, (folio 128). Letters and telegram dated 21 August 1914 from Prince Line to the Admiralty confirming ship being stopped and released, (folio 129-133).

Folio 134-148: SS Holmwood (ship¡¯s official number 132732), owned by F.S. Holland, London, captured and sunk by Dresden on 26 August 1914 in position Lat. 31¢ª30¡¯ Long. 49¢ª6¡¯W. Under the command of Captain Robert Charles Hill she sailed from Newport, Monmouthshire on 29 July 1914 for Bahia Blanca with 6,000 tons of coal for a neutral country. When captured she was between trade routes. The crew were landed at Rio de Janeiro, (folio 135). Index of documents, (folio 136). Telegrams from Rio de Janeiro 30 August 1914 on capture and sinking, (folios 137-138). Letter dated 31 August 1914 (paper number M 02119) from D. R. O¡¯Sullivan-Beare, British Consulate-General in Rio de Janeiro including information from Captain Hill on the operation of Dresden and auxiliary Baden, (folios 139-140). Trade Division Record Sheet (paper number M 02119) noting that sinking shows Dresden is not in need of coal, Holmwood sunk by explosive charge and no mention of auxiliary Prussia, (folio 141). Telegrams and letter on sinking and subsequent insurance issues, (folios 142-147). Examination on oath of Captain Hill 22 September 1914 (paper number M 16794), (folio 148).

Folios 149-152: SS Katharine Park, owned by The Park S.S. Company, Glasgow, captured by Dresden on 26 August 1914 in position Lat. 31¢ª30¡¯S Long. 48¢ª56¡¯W. Under the command of Captain Paterson she sailed from Buenos Aires on 24 August 1914 for Rio de Janeiro and New York. When captured was about 30 miles off usual trade route but close to two out routes. Dresden¡¯s captain first decided to sink her but changed his mind as cargo was for the United States. The crew of the Holmwood was put on board and the ship released to proceed to Rio de Janeiro, (folio 150). Index of letter from Master to Owner, (folio 151). Extract of letter dated 29 August 1914 from Captain Paterson to owners reporting capture and sinking, (folio 152).

Listing continued in ADM 137/23/3.