"Your Royal Highness, Your Magnificencies, Your Excellencies, My very honoured friends,--At this historical moment of the happy return of the first submarine merchant-trader of the world, after a voyage of 8,500 knots, I here welcome our 'Deutschland' and her gallant crew, not only in the name of our shipping officials, but of the whole German people, back to the harbour of their homeland. Quietly and only known to an initiated few, they left the Weser, passed through and under the English Fleet, to arrive on the 10th July at Baltimore with a valuable cargo of dyes. Their arrival was a surprise to the whole world. Even navigation experts shortly before this event had declared it to be an impossible undertaking. "It is with particular pleasure that I am able to state that all true Americans who are not demoralised by a degrading Mammon service to England--men with the freedom-loving instincts of a Washington and a Franklin, greeted the arrival of the 'Deutschland' in America with warmest satisfaction. It is the pride of our shipping officials that we have been able to send dyes to America under the German flag in the middle of this war, while America herself cannot even get her post from Europe unmolested, to say nothing of the many other violations of the rights of humanity by sea and land on the part of our enemy, in connection with the neutrals, and particularly the small states. "To accomplish this has been the work of the crew of the 'Deutschland.' Though they started off without any previous announcement, their departure from Baltimore was made publicly known beforehand. 'It resembled a triumphal procession,' wrote Havas, 'and a symbol of freedom.' I myself should like to compare the deed with our German view of the 'Rights of the Peoples on the free Ocean.' The enemy were not able to prevent their departure from Chesapeake Bay, and a blockaded North Sea did not exist for them on their return voyage, as will be proved by the many million marks' worth of goods which have to-day been brought from America, and which lie at this moment before our eyes. "They have performed a task of seamanship that is worthy of our Hanseatic forefathers. Everywhere throughout German lands, and among our faithful allies, but particularly among our brothers in the trenches and in the fleet, their return voyage has been followed with deepest sympathy. With strongest confidence in their judgment, energy, and sense of duty, we members of the shipping world have looked forward to their return. After their long and strenuous weeks in the narrow confines of a ship, face to face with unscrupulous enemies, I welcome them heartily back to the Homeland. In the midst of this murderous war I convey to them the thanks of our German people for their peaceful deed. And I should like to express these thanks by calling for three cheers for the 'Deutschland,' her commander, Captain König, her officers and crew. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"