Since the waters adjacent to German East Africa had been declared to be in a state of blockade it was useless to hoist the mercantile flag of any nation, so the Blue Ensign of the British Reserve was displayed.
In less than half an hour the strange craft was plainly visible. She was a small tramp, also displaying the Blue Ensign.
Von Riesser heaved a sigh of relief. She was not an armed auxiliary, otherwise the White Ensign would have been used. More than likely she was one of the fleet of subsidized merchantmen carrying stores and munitions for the British Expeditionary Force operating against the sole remaining German colony.
The stranger hoisted a signal. It was in code and consequently unintelligible to the Pelikan . Von Riesser promptly replied by another hoist, the flags meaning n
