An item referred to a cablegram of the American Naval Attache at The Hague, Netherlands received by Amnavpar, Paris, France on 6 December 1918 which described the German cargo ships interned in the Netherlands.(1) Some of the ships had limited passenger accommodations: Bellona, 1500 ton, Lipsos 5,000 ton, Kandelfels 7,500 ton, Gratia 3,000 ton, Atto 7,500 tons, Totmes 10,000 ton, Ganelon 7,500 ton, Elbing 6,500 ton, Hanau 6,500 ton, Schildturm 7,500 ton, Wartburg 6,500 ton, Tasmania, 10,000 ton, Santae Fe 7,800 ton, Elisabeth Rickmers 5,800 ton, Delos 3,200 ton, Ursula 1,400 ton, Erika 3,500 ton, Theseus 1,400 ton, Huberfels 7,300 ton, Jade 900 ton, Lesbos 2,700 ton, Portimao 2,400 ton, Christine Sell 1,200 ton, Almeria 6,000 ton, Hilda Horn 7,000 tons, Feronia 900 ton, Thebea 3,400 ton, tanker Sirius 5,600 tons and Calliope, Sines and Marga Hemesth.
Note
1. The Dutch newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated Friday 1 November 1918 reported the arrival of the Canelon, Atto and Kandelfels arriving at Hansweert, Netherlands on Wednesday evening bound for Vlissingen, Netherlands and coming from Antwerp, Belgium. Tuesday arrived at Vlissingen the Gratia coming from Gent, Belgium and which went to Rotterdam, Netherlands.Thursday afternoon arrived at Hansweert coming from Antwerp de Elbing, Totmes, Marga Hemsoth and the Claus Horn. A fifth ship the Santa Fé was grounded off Bath, Netherlands. The newspaper Ter Neuzensch Volksblad dated 2 November 1918 supplied almost same details although adding that the Atto and Ganelon of the Roland shipping Line and the Handelfels of the Hansa Shipping Line were to be interned at Vlissingen. The De Maasbode dated 11 August 1914 reported that at Antwerp, Belgium were held the German steamships Almeria, Andree Rickmers, Atto, Bellona, Christine Sell, Croatia, Delia, Delos, Elbing, Gneisenau, Hanau, Helios, Elisabeth Rickmers, Erika, Feronia, Ganelon, Henry Fürst, Hermes, Hispania, Huberfes, Lesbos, Lipsos, Portimao, Santa Fé, Schildturm, Sines, Sirius, Tasmania, Totmes, Ursula and Wartburh and the sailing 3 mast schooner Columbus and barque Perim. The ships were apparently in August 1914 scuttled by the retreating Belgian and British troops to prevent the Germans could use them again. In October-November 1918 the ships left Antwerp, Belgium to be interned in the Netherlands.
Source
National Archive. Misc. Material Print File World War August 1918-January 1922. Drawer 3. Microfilm No. T829-403.
