a long wrangle as to the
status of the vessel, Germany claiming the right of asylum for a prize
by the terms of an old Prussian treaty with the United States. Great
Britain protested this claim and demanded that the ship be released.
Without actually affirming one or denying the other, the United States
allowed the _Appam_ to remain in German hands, enjoying the same
privileges as other interned ships.

The _Appam_ was a rich prize indeed. Having a registry of 7,781 tons,
she was a modern vessel throughout, having been employed for several
years in the trade between South Africa and England. She was worth
$1,000,000 stripped, while her cargo sold for $700,000. The $250,000
in gold bars which subsequently went into the Berlin strong box also
came from the _Appam_--a round $2,000,000. Altogether it was a very
good day's work for the _Moewe_.

Not till the _Appam_ arrived in the Virginia harbor was it positively
known that a raider had eluded the allied navies. The search that
followed was conducted on a broader scale and with more minute care
than any similar hunt of the war, but to no avail. On February 20,
1916, the _Westburn_, a British vessel of 3,300 tons, put into Santa
Cruz de Teneriffe, a Spanish port. She, too, had a German captor
aboard. One officer and six men brought in 206 prisoners from one
Belgian and six British ships. Having landed all of those on board the
German lieutenant in command asked for permission to anchor at a
different point, and, this being granted, steamed beyond the
three-mile limit, where the _Westburn_ was blown up. Long use of sea
water in her boilers caused the explosion, her commander said. He was
arrested along with his half dozen men, then paroled. It was the
fortune of war. Once more the Germans had won, the British lost.

Again word was passed that the _Moewe_ must be found. The British
public took her feats much to heart. They rivaled the finest
accomplishments of British sailormen in the days when privateers went
forth to destroy French commerce. But the _Moewe_ never was caught. On
the morning of March 5, 1916, she put into Wilhelmshaven with 4
officers, 29 marines and sailors, and 165 men of enemy crews as her
prisoners. And the gold bars were secure in the captain's safe.

Immediately a fervor of enthusiasm ran through Germany. The _Moewe_
was back after a trip of many thousand miles, with prisoners and
bullion aboard. She had sunk fifteen allied vessels--thirteen British