Germany seized Russian, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish merchant ships according to the Dutch newspaper Rotterdamsch nieuwsblad dated 22 December 1914

An item dated Rotterdam, Netherlands 21st reported that the prize court at Lubeck, Germany adjudicated in the cases dealing with the seized Russian steamship Alma and Ludia underway from Sweden towards England with a cargo of timber, the Danish steamship Alfred Hope and the Norwegian steamships Havso and Hansa all three loaded with mine struts, the Norwegian steamship Vigdis loaded with timber , the Swedish steamship Elida loaded with wit timber underway from Sweden towards England and the Gefion loaded with timber. Except for the Russian ships were all other ships released while they were private property and their cargo’s was not destined to a country of the enemy.