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Show mm. admits SlIINGJrM Thought Armistice Had Been Terminated, and Scuttled Hun Ships. By ROBERT WELLES RITCHIE-Universal RITCHIE-Universal Service Staff Correspondent. (Special Cable Dispatch.) LONDON, Juno 22. Admiral von Reuter, commander of the surrenderee German fleet, personally ordered Its scuttling. In the belief that t ho armistice had been terminated. He says so himself, him-self, according to the Daily Express, in the following message ho the British commander: com-mander: "I ordered the sinking ill the belief that the armistice was terminated and following tho German navy's tradition which knows no surrender." In the firing on boats m wnicn merman mer-man sailors escaped from the scuttled warships, six men wero killed and ten wounded. Out of the mighty fleet of seventy-one ships of all classes, the battleship Baden and three destroyers remain afloat following fol-lowing tho daring, concerted action of the German crews. History's most remarkable naval destruction, de-struction, which in the short space of four hours wiped out a fleet more powerful power-ful than the entire French navy and almost al-most equal to Japan's, dofinltely ends the naval power which disputed the supremacy su-premacy of tho seas at Jutland and once threatened Britannia's rule of the waves. In four hours this mighty armada was wired olT the face of the waters, and a small body of men in London, possessing exclusive news sources, discussed the revelation of the admiralty's 130 words In mysterious undertones. .... As a matter of fact, very few admiralty officers are in IOndon today. This being Sundav the various seniors and hlgner oftielais are spending the week-end at their country places, beyond reach by telephone and seeing no-necessity of returning re-turning to their ofnees In tho city. LONDON. Sunday. June Si.. Arthur (Continued 011 Page 2. Column 1.) ffill ADMITS : Ml ORDER (Continued from Page One.) "Pollen, the naval expert, in an Interview in the Dispatch reKarding the sinking of the German warships in Scapa Flow, admires ad-mires the spirit of the Germans in sinking sink-ing their ships rather than to allow them to pass Into the possession of their enemies. Commander Kenworthy, M. P., told the dispatch it was the easiest thing in the Vortd to sink a ship ly opening the Kingston King-ston valve or removing the covers of the 'condp nsors. Commander Bcllalrs. M. P., declared no walrh from the guard boats could have prevented the scuttling of the ships, and that, therefore, the sailors on the spot a:o not to he blamed. "The admiralty is responsible. Commander Comman-der l-lairs declared, "''or they made the armistice, but did not think of the terms." Admiral 8ir Percy Scott, interviewed by tiie Sunday Times, regards tnc s.nking of the .hips as something to be expected. "It serves us right." he said, "for trusting trust-ing the Huns. They showed throughout the war that they were not a ci vl I zed .r-ice. and tht.-y .never ought to have Von treated as sueh; they are barbarians." |