With the events that followed the cessation of hostilities on November
11 almost every American is familiar. The armistice of that date
demanded that Germany give her entire fleet to the keeping of England.
For a discussion of the surrender the German light cruiser _Koenigsberg_
brought representatives from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Council, which
was then in nominal control of the German fleet, into the Firth of
Forth. Admiral Beatty refused to deal with these representatives, and
insisted that all arrangements be made through some flag-officer of the
imperial fleet.
Thereupon Admiral von Reuter, the commanding German officer, went aboard
the _Queen Elizabeth_, and there arranged with Admiral Beatty and his
flag-officers for the surrender. At dinner the German officers dined at
one table, the British at another. After more discussion the
_Koenigsberg_ departed for Kiel about ten that night. The
commander-in-chief then issued an order to all his ships, prescribing
the entire details of the surrender. The American battle squadron got
under way about 4 A.M. November 21, 1918, and steamed from the Forth
bridge out of the Firth into the North Sea.
The entire Grand Fleet was here concentrated, formed in two long
parallel lines steaming due east six miles apart, our American squadron
being the second one in the northern line. By that time the Sixth Battle
Squadron was composed of the _New York_, _Texas_, _Wyoming_, _Arkansas_,
and _Florida_, the _Delaware_ having returned home.
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