German Submarine war in Portuguese Waters: Esposende – a Smuggling Network

Ge man Subma ine wa in Po uguese Wa e s: Esposende – a Smuggling Ne wo k Miguel Cas o B andão Uni e si y o Opo o, Po ugal Email: [email p o ec ed] We belie e ha he smuggling ne wo k ha occu ed in Esposende was no jus abou an isola ed wa episode, bu a social/economical consequence o he Ge man subma ine wa in he Po uguese sho es. Acco ding o ou in es iga ions and his o ical documen analysis, we belie e ha se e al Po uguese/Spanish smuggling ne wo ks lou ished, especially alongside he Ibe ian coas , and aded goods and supplies wi h Ge man subma ine c ews by aking ad an age o he lack o igilance in hese coas al a eas. We ha e e y good e idences ha ake us o belie e ha his occu ence could happen all along he Ibe ian coas , in spi e o se e al di icul ies o p o e conside ing he lack o documen al sou ces. The Po uguese and Spanish his o iog aphy men ions his phenomenon, bu ne e wen deepe in o his subjec , s a ing only ha we e cons an umou s and sigh ings acco ding o he sou ces o he ime. In his a icle he eade can ha e access o ou pe spec i e, and also e lec abou he Ge man subma ine ac i i y a ound he Ibe ian coas , pa icula ly he Po uguese one. 1. Ge man Subma ine Ac i i y in he Po uguese sho es I ’s no he aim o his a icle o pa icula ize he ac i i y Ge man subma ines in he G ea Wa con ex a ound he Po uguese coas , bu we hink ha is impo an o men ion he cha ac e is ics o Ge man ope a ions in his a ea, as well as some o hei mos impo an a acks. Po ugal en e ed in he wo ld con lic by many easons, bu mos o he Po uguese his o iog aphy ag ees ha he cap u e and con isca ion o he 72 Ge man ships, a 23 Feb ua y 1916, ha had aken e uge in Po uguese po s since he beginning o he wa , was he b eaking poin be ween Ge man-Po uguese 2 diplomacy 1 . Impe ial Ge many decla ed wa on Po ugal a 9 h Ma ch 1916 in esponse o his ac . The cap u e o hese ships was equi ed by G ea B i ain, and he B i ish p oposal was accep ed in Belém Palace, Lisbon, on 5 h Feb ua y 1916 2 . O he coun ies like Po ugal en e ed in he con lic in a e y simila si ua ion; i ’s he case o B azil and Pe u ha cap u ed Ge man ships in he name o he B i ish s a egic diplomacy 3 . Acco ding o he au ho Ma c Fe o, since he beginning o he con lic , abou 743 Ge man ships we e ancho ed in neu al wa e s 4 , 72 o hem, acco ding o Oli ei a Ma ques 5 , in mainland Po ugal and his colonies. By c uising he numbe s o bo h au ho s we can say ha 10 % o hese ships we e ac ually e uge in Po uguese po s, which con i ms, in some way, he geog aphical and s a egic impo ance o he Po uguese coas , which con e ge he ollowing ou e axis A lan ic-Medi e anean- Gul o Biscay. The onnage o he Ge man ships ancho ed in Po ugal was he double o he Po uguese me chan na y be o e he wa ha only had 138.000 ons in shipping 6 . This ac made he Po uguese and B i ish au ho i ies e y in e es ed in he cap u e o hese ships, which could p o ide a signi ican p o ision o ships o bo h coun ies. In he beginning o 1915, Ge man subma ine ope a ions expanded o o he s ages o wa , including he Medi e anean, he Biscayan Gul and he A lan ic Ocean, which changed he s a egy o he Allied na ies. In he eyes o he E en e Co diale pe spec i e, Po ugal had c ucial key poin s in he A lan ic (Madei a, Azo es and Cape Ve de), which could p o ide supply bases, and mili a y coo dina ion cen es down he A lan ic. In 1915, he Ge man admi al Wol gang Wegene w o e h ee epo s abou Ge man na al s a egy, by sugges ing an un es ic ed U-boa campaign. 1 Especially he colonial i al ies in A ica (Po uguese colonies o Angola and Mozambique made on ie wi h Ge man Namibia and Tanganyika), since he la e XIX cen u y, c ea ed se e al diploma ic ensions be ween Po ugal and he colonial expansionis policy o Impe ial Ge many. E en be o e Po ugal en e ed o icially in he wa agains Ge many, Ge man oops a acked Po uguese pos s alongside he colonial on ie . 2 G ea B i ain and he Po uguese epublican au ho i ies ag eed ha 80 % o hese ships would be sen o B i ish wa e o , and Po ugal would ha e only 20 % o hem. Some o hese ships we e des oyed by Ge man subma ines in ou e o B i ish po s. 3 Rui Ramos, “His ó ia de Po ugal”; A República Po uguesa du an e a Gue a (1917-1926). In His ó ia de Po ugal ed. José Ma oso, His ó ia de Po ugal, ol. 8, (Lisboa: A Es e a dos Li os, 2009), p. 449. 4 Ma c Fe o, A G ande Gue a 1914-1918 (Lisboa: Edições 70, 1990), p.144. 5 A. H. de Oli ei a Ma ques, His ó ia de Po ugal (Lisboa: Palas Edi o a, 1986), p.235. 6 An ónio José Telo, P imei a República – Do Sonho à Realidade (Lisboa: A es G á icas, 2010), p.335. 3 In his epo s Wegene highligh ed he s a egic alue o he Biscayan Gul and he coas al a eas adjacen o Azo es and Cape Ve de, and p oposes ha Ge man subma ines should ocus hei ope a ions on hese same a eas 7 . Fo he Ge man admi al, aking Azo es and Cape Ve de was an un eliable hypo hesis, bu should be a g an ed acquisi ion in u u e peace ea ies wi h he Allies 8 . A e Po ugal en e ed on he wa , Ge man subma ines s a ed o mine Tajo’s i e mou h, ying o asphyxia e comme cial ou es om Lisbon po , in he sp ing o 1916 9 . Po uguese Na y had no esou ces o igh Ge man ac i i y, o a ious easons. The poli ical c isis ins alled in Po ugal, since he alling o he Po uguese mona chy, in 1910, was omen ed by nume ous epublican ac ions ha couldn’ make a du able adminis a ion suppo ed by he pa liamen . This aspec , alongside he economic and inancial c isis, wea ied ou he Po uguese poli ical, economic and mili a y ins i u ions, including he Na y. The Na y had only ou c uise s, wo des oye s, and one subma ine 10 and a ew mo e han en gunboa s in easonable condi ions o gi e some s uggle o Ge man o ensi es by his ime 11 . The Na y A senal 12 wo ked e y slowly o p oduce mo e na al uni s, conside ing he ac ha Ge man ships, cap u ed in Po uguese po s on he 23 h Feb ua y1916, we e sabo aged by hei c ews and needed epai s. I was also e y di icul o he Na y o impo new ma e ials om he Allies o epai hese ships. So he Po uguese Admi al y complemen ed i s numbe s by eques ing ci ilian boa s 13 and some o he Ge man cap u ed ships in o de o aise he Na y’s numbe s. By June 1916, Po ugal had new uni s cen ed especially in Lisbon, some Alga e bases and Leixões po 7 An ónio José Telo, P imei a República – Do Sonho à Realidade, p.330. 8 Ibid. 9 Rui Ca doso e al., A P imei a Gue a Mundial. Li o Ex a sob e a Pa icipação de Po ugal (Lisboa: A Es e a dos Li os, 2014), p.74. 10 Po ugal was one o he i s na ions o ha e a mode n subma ine, by holding i s i s uni by 1913. The subma ine Espada e was he i s example a he Po uguese Na y se ice. I was buil in I aly, in La Spezia shipya ds. 11 Sa u nino Mon ei o, Ba alhas e Comba es da Ma inha Po uguesa. Volume VII – 1808-1975, ol. 8. (Lisboa: Li a ia Sá da Cos a Edi o a, 1997), p.121. 12 The A senal Na y, se led in Lisbon, su e ed a i e a 18 h Ap il 1916. 13 Some nau ical clubs ga e hei yach s and boa s o he Na y in change o mili a y exemp ion. 4 (Opo o), including imp o ised apou s, gunboa s and Tagus i e galleons 14 . The Na y coun ed also wi h six mode n Ge man ships, now wi h Po uguese names. As wa wen on, Po ugal s a ed ecei ing some aid om he Allies, especially wi h he new balance o powe in he Medi e anean when I aly joined he Allies, in he middle o 1915 15 . I was he F ench go e nmen ha i s demons a ed some in e es in p o ec ing he Po uguese coas , hus ensu ing i s connec ions Medi e anean and A lan ic seas. In la e 1916, F ance eques ed, nea he Po uguese go e nmen , he es ablishmen o auxilia y bases on i s sho e, as will be shown in 1917, pa icula ly in Leixões, A ei o and Alga e coas 16 . In Sep embe 28, 1917, F ench and he Po uguese mili a y adminis a ions c ea ed he Ma i ime A ia ion Cen e o Lisbon, in Bom Sucesso dock, nex o he Belém Towe 17 . The F ench would be esponsible o he de ense o he po o Leixões (Opo o) and also ins alled, in May 1918, a seaplane base in San Jacin o (nea A ei o) wi h eigh ai c a uni s 18 . Wi h en ance o he US in o he con lic , on Ap il 6 h 1917, he con ol o he A lan ic became i al, in o de o allow he c ossing o he Ame ican oops o F ench po s. In addi ion o he F ench de ensi e help, Po ugal also ecei ed Ame ican aid in he Azo es. The Ame ican Admi al y, a e a dialogue wi h London, app o ed he ins alla ion o a mili a y base in he Azo es, in he second hal o 1917. In la e May 1917, Ame icans begin he ac ual ins alla ion o a mili a y base, and subsequen ly deposi ed a ound 10,000 ons o coal o supply ships ha we e c ossing he A lan ic by his ime 19 . 14 Anice o A onso, and Ca los de Ma os Gomes, Po ugal e a G ande Gue a 1915-1917. As T inchei as (Vila do Conde: Ve so da His ó ia, 2014), p.56. 15 An ónio José Telo, P imei a República – Do Sonho à Realidade, p.330. 16 Ibid. 17 Anice o A onso, and Ca los de Ma os Gomes, Po ugal e a G ande Gue a 1915-1917. As T inchei as, p.60. 18 Ibid. 19 An ónio José Telo, Os Aço es e o Con olo do A lân ico (1898/1948), (Lisboa: Edições Asa, 1993), p.110. 5 2. Ge man O ensi es in he Po uguese sho es 1916-1918 A Ap il 17 h, a Ge man mine sank he No wegian ship Te je Vikken, nea Cascais 20 . This mine was d opped by U-73 when on ansi o he Medi e anean. She was he i s ship ha sank o he Po uguese coas by Ge man ac ion. Bu 1916 had some mo e signi ican Ge man a acks in his a ea. One o he bigges ships sunk in he G ea Wa 21 , he F ench d eadnough Su en, displacing 12.750 ons, knew his des iny o he Po uguese coas , when on ou e o F ance a e he Allied o ensi e in he Da danelles. A 25 h No embe , he U-52 subma ine, commanded by Hans Wal he , o pedoed he ship causing 648 dea hs, and had no su i o s 22 . In Decembe 1916, Ge man subma ines a acked Cape Ve de and Madei a. F om he docks o Ca a o, in he Aus o-Hunga ian Empi e, he U-38, commanded by Max Valen ine , a acked Funchal, in Madei a, in 3 h Decembe . P obably one o he mos well documen ed Ge man a acks in he Po uguese sho es, as we can ha e access o Valen ine ’s pe spec i e abou he same a ack in he book La Te eu des Me s: Mes A en u es en Sous-Ma in 1914-1918 23 . Be lin expec ed ha Max Valen ine would ind a nume ous B i ish lee in Funchal, bu only sunk ou ships; e en so he was gi en a Pou Le Mé i e medal by he Kaise o his a ack 24 . In he nex day, a subma ine was spo ed nea he S. Vicen e po , in Cape Ve de. Po uguese coas al a ille y ga e some sho s and i was enough o he Ge man wi hd aw 25 . The a ack on Funchal con i med he Allied ea s abou he U-boa g owing p esence and unp edic abili y on he A lan ic, has he En en e Co diale admi al ies suspec ed 26 . I was a e y se ious sign o wha was going o occu in he A lan ic nex yea . 1917, he yea o Ge man subma ine wa zeni h, globally speaking, was no o ious in he Po uguese coas . In his same yea , he onnage o unloaded goods in 20 Paulo Cos a, Te je Vikken. Accessed Augus 28, 2016. h p://www.po ugal1914.o g/po al/p /his o ia/a-gue a-1914-1918/i em/6923- e je- iken/. 21 Ships hi du ing WW1. Accessed Augus 28, 2016. h p://www.uboa .ne /wwi/ships_hi /5825.h ml/. 22 Ma in Gilbe , A P imei a Gue a Mundial, ol. 4 (Lisboa: A Es e a dos Li os, 1994), p.26. 23 Max Valen ine , La Te eu des Me s:Mês A en u es en Sous-Ma in (Pa is: Payo , 1931). 24 Ibid, p.123. 25 Anice o A onso, and Ca los de Ma os Gomes, Po ugal e a G ande Gue a 1915-1917. As T inchei as, p.60. 26 R. H. Gibson and Mau ice P ende gas , The Ge man Subma ine Wa (1914-1918) (London: Na al Ins i u e P ess, 1931), p.134. 6 Po uguese po s ep esen ed only 20 % o 1913’s o al onnage 27 . To ha e a good pe spec i e o he de e io a ion o Po uguese po s supply lines, we could look o he whea impo a ion. Po ugal impo ed 182.000 ons in 1916 ( ep esen ing hal o he in e n ma ke consume) and had only access o 55.000 ons in 1917 28 . In 1916, he po o Lisbon egis e ed he en y o 2.521 ships (4.298.800 b u e ons), ha unloaded 1.336.936 ons in goods, and on he nex yea only 1.455 ships (1.858.135 b u e ons) deli e ed 603.635 ons in his po 29 . In his same yea Ge man subma ines sunk abou 104 ships on he Po uguese coa s, ep esen ing 1.467.161 ons app oxima ely 30 . Mos o hem we e B i ish and No wegian ships 31 . Po uguese wa e s expe ienced he en ance o he U-151 class (ex-Deus chland) in A lan ic na al wa s age, inc easing he ope a ional ange o he Ge man ope a ions. On Ma ch 17 h Ge man subma ines a acked ou Po uguese ishing ships nea Roca Cape, and acco ding o he jou nal O Comé cio do Po o he a ack was conduc ed by wo Ge man subma ines, one om he no h and o he om he sou h. This a ack le a ound one hund ed men as cas aways, which we e sa ed by pa ol boa s om Lisbon 32 . The book The Ge man Pi a e – His Me hods and Reco d 33 ells he expe iences o a Ge man c ewmembe ha pa icipa ed in his a ack, wi h he pseudonymous Ajax. In his desc ip ion Ajax s a ed ha Ge man c ews expelled Po uguese ishe men om he boa s, and sacked he ships by aking ish and clo hs a e h ea ening hem wi h pis ols 34 . This eco d gi es us an idea abou how Ge man subma ine c ews ob ained esh goods and supplies in high sea. On 24 h Ap il, commanding U-35, Lo ha on A nauld de la Pe iè e sunk ou ships nea Sag es, Alga e: he Danish ca go ship No dsöen 35 , he No wegian ships 27 Rui Ramos, “His ó ia de Po ugal”; A República Po uguesa du an e a Gue a (1917-1926), p. 449. 28 Ibid. 29 Ana P a a, Polí icas Po uá ias na I República (1880-1929), (Lisboa: Caleidoscópio, 2011), p.111. 30 Miguel Cas o B andão, “(Con)Vi e com o Inimigo –A A i idade Subma ina Alemã du an e a P imei a Gue a Mundial – In e ações na cos a de Esposende”, (Mas e Thesis, Uni e si y o Opo o, 2015), p.72. 31 G ea B i ain was he na ion ha los mos ships in he Po uguese wa e s, du ing 1916-1918 pe iods, wi h a o al loss o 33 ships. 32 O Comé cio do Po o, (Po o) Ma ch 20, 1917, p.4. 33 Ajax, The Ge man Pi a e – His Me hods and Reco d, (New Yo k, Geo ge H. Do an Company, 1918), p. 18. 34 O Comé cio do Po o (Po o), Ma ch 20, 1917, p.4. 35 A e been s opped by a ew sho s om U-35, he Ge mans pu some explosi es in he ship basemen , a e he c ew lea ing. This i s in e en ion didn’ sunk he ship in he i s place, and i d i ed o he coas . The Ge mans came la e o sunk de ini ely he ship, nea Sag es, Alga e. The e is no consensus be ween Po uguese au ho s abou Ge man landing in he Po uguese coas , in a emp o 7 Vilhelm K ag and To o e, and he I alian sailing essel Bieneimé P o . Luigi 36 . On he same day, U-35 also sha ed some sho s wi h o he ships: he Po uguese awle Galgo 37 ; h ee Spanish ca go ships: La Cas eja, Ca aluña and T iana 38 ; and he F ench ship Ca a ellas 39 . Po uguese au ho s like Augus o Salgado, Jo ge Russo 40 and Paulo Cos a (websi e a icles) 41 de eloped new s udies abou his a ack, and we can ac ually ha e a e y good pe spec i e abou U-35’s ac i i y in his pa icula day. The e is also ilming eco ds abou his occu ence, used o p oduce he 1917’s Ge man p opaganda ilm De magische G ü el. This singula episode shows ha Ge man subma ines didn’ had opponen s in he Po uguese wa e s, and how ulne able was he Po uguese coas . A e his day, Lo ha ’s ammuni ion s ock was e y low; and he decided o e u n o U-35’s base, in he Medi e anean, a i ing a Ca a o on 6 h May 1917 42 . On 4 July 1917, he U-155 a acked Pon a Delgada, in he Azo es. The Ge man subma ine ac ion in he A lan ic and Azo es was no o ious a e he en ance o Uni ed S a es in he wa 43 . In a emp o des oy he coal s o age in Pon a Delgada’s po , as Max Valen ine ied in Funchal on Decembe 3 h 1916, Ka l Meussel bomba ded he ci y and he po acili ies. Po uguese coas al a ille y simply had no ange o s op Meussel’s bomba dmen , bu he Ame ican ca go ship O ion ha was in a e y good de ensi e posi ion and ough back. U-155 wi hd ew a sho ime a e . The e we e no signi ican damages in he ci y, and only one li le gi l died and h ee women we e wounded 44 . Locals and he Po uguese au ho i ies celeb a ed he sunk he ship wi h explosi es. Some epo s in Po uguese jou nals also con i m ha some ci ilians we e nea his inciden , and epulse by he Ge mans. The wa dia y o he subma ine commande epo s his aspec . 36 A chaeological wi nesses o hese w ecks a e been s udied and p o ec ed by he U-35 P ojec , by CINAV (Po uguese Na y Resea ch Cen e). 37 This Po uguese ship had a b ie igh wi h U-35, and sa ed a ound se en y cas aways om he sea. 38 The ship T iana ac ually was damaged a e U-35’s sho s. All h ee Spanish ships we e inspec ed and eleased by U-35’s c ew. 39 This ship sho agains he Ge man subma ine, bu u ned away a e a ew momen s. 40 Augus o Salgado e al., P ojec U-35. Rela ó io de T abalhos 2014, (Lisboa: CINAV, 2014). 41 “Po ugal 14 18”, accessed 27 Augus , 2016, h p://www.po ugal1914.o g/po al/p /. 42 Fi s Wo ld Wa U-boa – A Guide o he Video (De Magische (The Enchan ed Ci ce) (1917) and he Exploi s o Ge man Subma ine (U-35) Ope a ing in he Medi e anean (1919), (London: Loyd’s Regis e o Shipping on behal o he Impe ial Wa Museum, 2000), p.127. 43 An ónio José Telo, Homens, Dou ina e O ganização: 1824-1974, (Lisboa: Academia de Ma inha, 1999), p.275. 44 Jaime do Inso, Ma inha Po uguese na G ande Gue a, (Lisboa: Edições Cul u ais da Ma inha, 2006), p.69. 8 Ame ican O ion c ew, including he go e no ha sen le e s o he Ame ican consul in Po ugal, hanking his ac ion 45 . Mo e Ge man signi ican a acks we e no o ious in he las mon hs o 1917. On 2 No embe , Waldema Khopamel, commanding U-151, a acked wo B azilian ca go ships a S. Vicen e po ha ca ied huge co ee ca gos 46 . On 12 Decembe , he Ge mans bomba ded Funchal again, by E ich Eckelmann aboa d U-155. Ge mans made some signi ican damages in he ci y, killing i e people and wounded se e al ci ilians 47 . One o he subma ine sho s damaged San a Cla a chu ch 48 . E en d ama ic, 1918 showed a so ening subma ine ac i i y in he Po uguese wa e s, bu hey con inued a p i a ee ing wa s a egy. The e ec i eness o he con oy sys em, c ea ed by he Allies, was el , wi h he educ ion o he numbe o casual ies a sea. Al hough he yea 1918 shows a signi ican numbe o shipw ecks, Ge man s opped he a acks on ci ies o Po uguese mili a y bases in he A lan ic. P obably he mos signi ican episode, in 1918, was he comba be ween he a med awle Augus o de Cas ilho agains Lo ha ’s on A nauld de la Pe iè e’s U- 139, on 14 Oc obe 1918, no a om Azo es 49 . This comba has been he mos men ioned comba in he Po uguese his o iog aphy, and p obably one o he mos documen ed. In a emp o p o ec ing he passenge ship S. Miguel, he Augus o Cas ilho ied o dis ac U-139, in a e y un ai igh , conside ing he Ge man a ille y supe io i y. The U-155 could simply shoo agains he Po uguese awle ou o ange, wi h 155 mm deck guns 50 . A e a ie ce igh he Po uguese awle su ende , soon a e he dea h o he commandan Ca alho A aújo and pa o he c ew. 45 An ónio José Telo, Os Aço es e o Con olo do A lân ico (1898/1948), p.114. 46 An ónio José Telo, P imei a República – Do Sonho à Realidade (Lisboa: A es G á icas, 2010), p.335. 47 Sa u nino Mon ei o, Ba alhas e Comba es da Ma inha Po uguesa. Volume VII – 1808-1975, p.131. 48 Rui Ca doso e al., A P imei a Gue a Mundial. Li o Ex a sob e a Pa icipação de Po ugal, p.77. 49 Albe o Cu ilei o, O Comba e do caça-minas “Augus o de Cas ilho” com o subma ino Alemão”U- 139” is o a a és do ela ó io do 1º o icial enca egado de a ilha ia, capi ão- enen e Ku on Pis o (Lisboa: Cen o de Es udos de Ma inha, 1976), p.9. 50 Anice o A onso, and Ca los de Ma os Gomes, Po ugal and he G ea Wa 1915-1917. The T enches (Vila do Conde: Ve so da His ó ia, 2014), p. 86. 9 Ge man subma ines sunk a ound 176 ships 51 , ei he Po uguese and o eign ships, ep esen ing 1.603.104 ons in shipping, a ound he Po uguese coas (including Madei a, Azo es and Cape Ve de adjacen wa e s), and 90,4 % o hem sunk in 1917, in 1916-1918 pe iod 52 . The mos p oblema ic mon hs a e isible in Fig.1, we e he mon hs o Janua y 1917 (wi h 13 ships eco ded sunk), July 1917 (wi h 17), No embe 1917 (wi h 13) and Ma ch 1918 (wi h 12). The e we e some highe incidence peaks o subma ine wa a e, as is isible in he pe iod om Decembe 1916 o Janua y 1917, o he pe iod om June o Sep embe 1917. We no e also some b eaks, as in Oc obe 1917, and be ween Ap il and July 1918. Fig.1. Numbe o w ecks by mon hs du ing 1916-1918, caused by Ge man subma ines in he Po uguese coas . 51 This numbe c uises di e en his o ical sou ces, including Po uguese jou nals, Ge man subma ine wa dia ies K ies agebuch, and in o ma ion om websi es like www.uboa .ne and www.w ecksi e.eu. 52 Miguel Cas o B andão, “(Con)Vi e com o Inimigo –A A i idade Subma ina Alemã du an e a P imei a Gue a Mundial – In e ações na cos a de Esposende”, p.141. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 1916 1917 1918 16 highe p ices 76 . Alice also alks abou new black ma ke niches, we e hoa de s sell sho age p oduc s a p ohibi ed p ices, which made some egional igu es e y ich 77 . Fiscal measu es o egula e p ices and igilance a ound smuggle s we e jus no e ec i e a all. P ice s ipula ions we e, in a p ac ical meaning, jus a heo is measu e wi h ew li le esul s, conside ing he lack o local iscal police e ec i es. The p ac ice o hoa ding a ou ed e y speci ic clien eles, in a ela ionship ha connec ed he smalles a me o he small e ail me chan 78 . E en so he local au ho i ies in Esposende ied o eac , by p ohibi ing he exi o cap ine and swine ca le beyond he municipal on ie , has a epo con i ms 79 . Bu wha a gumen s sus ain ha Ge man subma ines aded wi h his smuggling ne wo k nea Esposende beaches? We belie e ha a e i e main easons. In he i s place, he isi o he ci il go e no o B aga, Edua do C uz, on May 5 h, was jus singula , o say he leas , as many Po uguese jou nals epo . I i was jus a egula smuggling local case, has he local p ess de ended, i would no jus i y he go e no ’s a i al a he small own o Esposende. The go e no con i med ha he egg boxes we e o Ge man subma ine c ews o he Po uguese pos , conside ing he Spanish in e medium. The go e no ’s suspicion was sus ained in de ailed and p i ileged in o ma ion g an ed by he local iscal police ha a es ed he smuggle s nea Esposende oad, and we also ha e he in o ma ion ha someone w o e a le e o he In e io Minis e o epo he case, as Po uguese jou nals con i m. Acco ding o he same sou ces, Edua do C uz p opose mo e iscal police e ec i es o aise igilance e iciency along he coas 80 . In second place, he Po uguese smuggle s we e a es ed, condemned and judged as suspec s o ading wi h Ge man subma ine c ews, he enemy, has he Na y epo s and Po uguese jou nals con i m 818283 . This aspec is also e y singula . 76 Alice Sama a, “O Impac e Económico e Social da P imei a Gue a Mundial em Po ugal”, in Po ugal e a Gue a. His ó ia das In e enções Mili a es Po uguesas nos G andes Con li os Mundiais – Séculos XIX e XX., ed. Nuno Se e iano Teixei a (Lisboa: Edições Colib i, 1998), p.93. 77 Ibid, p. 96. 78 Ibid. 79 O Espozendense (Esposende) July 12, 1917, p.2. 80 O P imei o de Janei o (Po o) May 6, 1917, p.1. 81 Acco ding o he epo , in O Comé cio do Po o, 5 h May, he a es ed smuggle s we e obliga ed o pay a g ea amoun o money as penaliza ion caused by his inciden : 1. 000 $ 000 éis (Po uguese cu ency a he ime). This aspec could gi e us a pe spec i e abou he alue o his mulc , and also he c ime a e. 82 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Co e 419. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 17 A es ed smuggle s also had o pay a e y signi ican amoun o money o he local iscal police, conside ing he con ac wi h he enemy. This case was classi ied as a c ime. The hi d aspec i ’s p obably one he mos impo an elemen s o analyse in his ma e . Po uguese Na y depa men s ac ually epo ed he case, and some delega es sugges se ious measu es o p e en his ype o occasions. Acco ding o a pa icula epo om Opo o’s cap aincy, deli e ed o he Na y Minis y 84 , da ed 8 h Oc obe 1917 (6 mon hs a e he Esposende case), all Po uguese cap aincies we e o de ed o p e en any kind o suspicious landing in o he coas , cap u ing any smuggled goods 85 . In his same epo he Depa men unde lines ha smuggling cases like Esposende we e no a big su p ise, comp ising he economic and social c isis p o oked by he G ea Wa 86 . Na y ep esen a i es isi ed Esposende o asce ain some in o ma ion abou o ships ha we e sunk in he a ea, and checked ha a ious Spanish ci ilians we e spo ed in he a ea, anspo ing huge quan i ies o eggs in o ships s a ioned o he coas 87 . This documen sus ains p ess epo s abou he case, and also con i ms Spanish p esence in anspo a ion ope a ion o he sea: “(…) This se ice is gene ously well paid and i ’s made e y cau iously, and I belie e ha i ’s no jus a egula smuggling case, bu a supply line o Ge man subma ines ha c oss ha wa e s (Adap a ion o he English language by he au ho ) (…)” 88 This ph ase p o es ha he Spanish smuggle s ha e a e y impo an ole on his smuggling ne wo k, by making con ac wi h Ge man subma ines o he coas . The w i e o he documen also e eals se ious igilance p oblems in he coas , decla ing ha he iscal police pos s a e gua ded only by wo men and he local pos s ha e 5 km be ween each o he . He also p oposes new sea pa ols in he a ea, as well as mo e iscal policemen 89 . O he cap aincies epo s, om all along he Po uguese coas answe ed o he Po uguese Na y enqui y om Lisbon. Mos o hem don’ 83 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Documen ação A ulsa 1611, caixa nº1611 - P ocessos nº8 de 1 a 67 - 1917, co a 4-XXXIV-2-1. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 84 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Co e 419. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 85 Ibid. 86 Ibid. 87 Ibid. 88 Ibid. 89 Ibid. 18 epo any kind o smuggling ac i i ies nea o he coas , in con as o no he n cap aincies 90 . This p o es once mo e he Po uguese Na y in e es in ob aining some in o ma ion abou Ge man subma ines supply in he Po uguese coas . Fig.8 Na y epo abou he smuggling o he eggs nea Esposende.These documen s p o e ha he Po uguese na y we e awa e o he Esposende smuggling case 91 . 90 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Documen ação A ulsa 1611, caixa nº1611 - P ocessos nº8 de 1 a 67 - 1917, co a 4-XXXIV-2-1. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 91 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Co e 419. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 19 Fig.9: These documen s men ion no jus he case o Esposende, bu i has some epo s abou simila si ua ions along he Po uguese coas . Some cap aincies along he Po uguese coas we e asked by he na y, i hese kind o si ua ions we e egula 92 . In ou h place, we mus look o Esposende e i o y a ou able condi ions o he lou ishmen o con aband and smuggling ades, as jou nal and Na y epo ed. Na iga ion nea Esposende was e y dange ous be o e and du ing Wo ld Wa One, conside ing he geog aphical condi ions as men ioned be o e. Va ious ocks and sil ing a eas nea Cá ado Ri e mou h and beaches complica ed ship mo emen s in he a ea, wo sened by he lack o a powe ul ligh house. Po uguese jou nals epo ed plen y o news ela ed o se e al w ecks ha ook place nea Esposende. I wasn’ only in Esposende a ea ha was dange ous o he ship sailing in he zone, bu all along he no h coas o Po ugal. Sou ces o he ime men ion an au hen ic “dea h co ido ” in his a ea. As you can see in Fig. 11 be ween he Mon edo (nea Viana do Cas elo) and Luz (Opo o) ligh houses he e wasn’ any eliable ligh sys em, as we can con i m in his epo : 92 A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Documen ação A ulsa 1611, caixa nº1611 - P ocessos nº8 de 1 a 67 - 1917, co a 4-XXXIV-2-1. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). 20 “ (…) The cap ains o he ships ha o en a end ou po (Leixões, Opo o, Po ugal) ha e complained many imes ha he no he n coas o Po ugal has insu icien ligh , conside ing he imp o emen s ha we e been made. They hink ha pu ing a ligh house in Fão o Esposende would allow ships o always ha e access o ligh , which does no happen now, because he e a e places whe e no one can see no Mon edo ligh house no Luz ligh house (...) (Adap ed o he English language by he au ho )” 93 . Local eli es eques ed many imes, be o e and du ing he wa , he cons uc ion o new in as uc u es in his e i o y, like a powe ul ligh house o any kind o sono ous signal, as a ious news epo in he jou nal O Comé cio do Po o 94 . This a ea could encou age he p oli e a ion o smuggling ac i i ies, conside ing he ac ha mos ac i i ies o his kind we e made a nigh , as local adminis a ion con i m. To make hings wo se, o make hings wo se, in 1917 he ligh house o Mon edo was se iously damaged by a s o m, which agg a a ed he ligh sys em in his pa icula a ea 95 . The i e eason conside Spanish neu al policy owa ds Ge many in he G ea Wa , which p o ided some “non-o icial” suppo o Ge man subma ines. Some Po uguese and Spanish au ho s conside ha Ge man subma ines supplied in Spain, o ope a e no only in he A lan ic, bu also in he Medi e anean. Spanish au ho Jaime Rubio Rosales de ends ha , du ing he G ea Wa , an in ense Ge man subma ine ac i i y was no o ious a ound Cana y Islands, acco ding o a local wi nesses in La Gome a 96 . The Po uguese au ho Jaime Co eia do Inso s a ed ha Ge man subma ines ha ope a ed in Alga e coas , we e supplied be ween Huel a and Cadiz, and he ones ha ope a ed in he Po uguese no he n coas we e supplied in he Galician po o Vigo 97 . Co eia do Inso he also s a es ha Ge man p esence in Cana y Islands was cons an 98 . 93 O Comé cio do Po o (Po o), Oc obe 17, 1917, p.2. 94 O Comé cio do Po o (Po o), Decembe 19, 1914, p.4; O Comé cio do Po o (Po o) Decembe 15, 1914, p.1-2; O Comé cio do Po o (Po o) Janua y 3, 1915, p.5; O Comé cio do Po o (Po o), Janua y 5, 1915, p.3. 95 “Fa óis de Po ugal”, T anpo es XXI, accessed 27 Augus , 2016, h p://www. anspo es- xxi.ne / ma i imo/in es igacao/ a ois. 96 Jaime Rubio Rosales, Subma inos y a queología nazi en Cana ias (London: Lulu P ess Inc, 2007), p.77. 97 Jaime Co eia do Inso, A Ma inha Po uguesa na G ande Gue a, p.56. 98 Ibid. 21 We ha e no doub s ha Ge man subma ines used Spain as a logis ical pla o m o coo dina e a ack and had es ablished supply lines, be o e a acking he Po uguese coas . Spanish coas con aband lines, acco ding o cap u ed Ge man Na y In elligence epo s, had es ablished spies in many coas al poin s, and o ganized small boa s lo illas wi h local c ews o a end subma ine necessi ies 99 . I didn’ ook long o he Allies o no ice ha Ge man subma ines ope a ed om Spanish po s, and p essed diploma ically Mad id a e some polemic inciden s. In May 1915, Allied delegacies denounced, o he Spanish go e nmen , he exis ence o Ge man subma ine gas pos s, on he po s o Biu ún (Basque coas ), Alsasua (Basque coas ) and Villa eal (nea Valencia). This issue ook Spanish minis e , José Sánchez Gue a, o communica e wi h O iedo, G anada, Huel a, Pon e ed a, Cas ellón Se ille, Co una and Na a a o disco e hese kind o pos s 100 . In Sep embe 1915, F ench p ess denounce a ious umou s a ound subma ine supply in Spanish sho es, including hei A icans possessions 101 . In he summe o 1916, I alian go e nmen p esen ed hei suspec s, a guing ha Spanish essels supplied Ge man subma ines in he O ien al Medi e anean 102 . The e we e some media ic cases in his subjec , aking o example he U-35 supply o he Ge man e uge ship SS Roma in Ca agena po , which p o oked F ench and B i ish ambassado s o p o es ilely in Mad id, asse ing ha he U-boa in ques ion p o isioned he SS Roma ship du ing his mili a y ac i i y 103 . Bu how Spanish smuggle s con ac ed wi h Ge man subma ine c ews in he Po uguese coas ? We can ac ually no esponse wi h o al assu ance. Edua do González Calleja de ends ha we mus look o he smuggling adi ion be ween Spanish Galicia and he no h o Po ugal. These e i o ies we e no a ac i e o he Ge man in elligence se ices because o he lack o good communica ion sys ems, bu o e ed coas al encla es e y sui ed o Ge man subma ine supply 104 . Edua do Calleja a i ms ha Ge man espionage se ices es ablished mo e easily nea Cádiz and 99 Edua do González Calleja, El Disposi i o de Vigilancia F ancés en Galicia du an e la P imei a Gue a Mundial (Mad id: Uni e sidad Ca los III de Mad id, 2014), p.1. 100 Ibid. 101 Ibid. 102 Ibid. 103 Jesús Pe ea Ruiz Gue a subma ina en España (1914-1918), ol. 16. (Mad id: UNED – Espacio, Tiempo y Fo ma, Se ie V, H,ª Con empo ánea, 2004), p.205. 104 Edua do González Calleja, El Disposi i o de Vigilancia F ancés en Galicia du an e la P imei a Gue a Mundial, p.7. 22 Cana y Islands, conside ing he di icul in place bases in he Medi e anean 105 . Ou his o ical analysis p o ided some epo s in his ma e , o example he U-38 be o e a acking Funchal, in Madei a, a 3 h Decembe 1916, supplied in Cana y Islands 106 . The same sou ce, based in an in elligence in o ma ion o Cape Ve de au ho i ies, epo s ha one essel was saw alongside a Ge man subma ine, loading gas 107 . This pa icula in o ma ion could gi e us a e y in e es ing pic u e abou he smuggling case in Esposende. I ’s e y likely ha essels and Ge man subma ines aded goods a he high sea, and we hink ha we e a e y common p ac ice be ween Ge man subma ine c ews. These epo s sus ain once mo e ha aspec . Spanish in e media ies con ac ed Po uguese p oduce s and smuggle s, and hen hey es ablished con ac wi h Ge man subma ine c ews a high sea, no oo close o he Po uguese sho e. Bu how a om he coas ? As a as we can p o e, Ge man subma ines didn’ ge e y close om he sho e, excep some U-boa s aking Max Valen ine ’s U-38 108 , and Lo ha on A nauld de la Pe iè e’s U-35 109 . 105 Edua do González Calleja, El Disposi i o de Vigilancia F ancés en Galicia du an e la P imei a Gue a Mundial, p.7. 106 O Comé cio do Po o (Po o) Decembe 6, 1916, p.3. 107 Ibid. 108 A e a acking Funchal, on 3 Decembe , Max Valen ine ancho ed e y close o Vila Balei a, in Po o San o island, in Madei a a chipelago. 109 A 24 h Ap il, Pe iè e’s U-35 was e y close o he Po uguese sho e in Alga e, especially when des oyed he Danish ship No dsöen , nea Sag es. 23 Fig.10. Map o Esposende, 1913. 24 Fig.11. No h o Po ugal ligh house sys em, only Mon edo (Viana do Cas elo) and Luz ligh houses (Opo o) could p o ide a easonable aid o na iga o s. 25 Re e ences and Bibliog aphy Documen al Sou ces: Hans Wal he , K iegs agebuch – des Kommandos S.MU.U-Boa „U.52“. ü die Zei de Ve nun e nehmung on 16.mä z – 27. ap il 17.Kapi änleu nan Wal he (Hans) ( Cuxha en-Al enb uch: Deu ches Uboa Museum A chi e, 1917). A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Co e 419. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). A qui o Cen al da Ma inha, Lisboa: Documen ação A ulsa 1611, caixa nº1611 - P ocessos nº8 de 1 a 67 - 1917, co a 4-XXXIV-2-1. F om Cen al Na y A chi e (Accessed 2015). Jou nal Sou ces: O Comé cio do Po o Diá io de No ícias O Espozendense O P imei o de Janei o O Século Elec onic Sou ces: www.po ugal1914.o g/po al/p /his o ia/a-gue a-1914-1918/i em/6923- e je- iken/. h p://www.uboa .ne /wwi/ships_hi /5825.h ml/. Bibliog aphy: Ajax, The Ge man Pi a e – His Me hods and Reco d, (New Yo k, Geo ge H. Do an Company, 1918). Albe o Cu ilei o, O Comba e do caça-minas “Augus o de Cas ilho” com o subma ino Alemão”U-139” is o a a és do ela ó io do 1º o icial enca egado de a ilha ia, capi ão- enen e Ku on Pis o (Lisboa: Cen o de Es udos de Ma inha, 1976).