An item referred to a statement of a Norwegian master arriving at Tromsö returning from Archangelsk, Russia reporting that all German steamships in the Baltic which were at the outbreak of the First World War in the harbours of Archangelsk, Sorokko or Onega were set into fire with gunfire and sunk. The crews including wives and children were interned and treated like prisoners of war. Before the ships were destroyed was anything of value removed by the Russians. In the entrance in the harbour of Archangelsk were 2 German ships scuttled at the others which were ready to start with loading were also scuttled and now lying upside down. The ships of all other countries were allowed to depart.
