THE CAPTURE OF NEW GUINEA

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 6

THE CAPTURE OF NEW GUINEA

"; STORY OF GERMAN TRICKERY ; ; ; CAPITAL TWICE SURRENDERS ':..'_;, Sydney, September 19. The censors having removed the prohibition of publication of. the movo- ';•. ments of the" Australian .fleet in- lilie New.Guinea area prior to tho recent' capture, the "Sydney ; Morning Hor- " aid" states that it transpires that the • ■ town :of Rabaul was twice captured. The iowh. offered no resistance when, the Australian warships visited it early in « August, and the German flag was haul- - ed down by the residents;.' y ./.'ThV first visit was made while .the , warships were searching for tho German '■cruisers.' After sweeping the approaches ... to: Simpsonhafen harbour for mines, the "liarbour was entered early:iu the morning. The warships .-were prepared to at-. the .enemy's.ships, but none wero /there. •-As-the chief object of the Aus-tralians-was to : .capture, tie German ;,wa'rs'hips'. and the .destruction of tho ,'wireless"-stations;,' they, could not then \ afford Holland a' ; fprce to hold the town. /The Governor . informed' Rear-Admiral _' Sir/George !Patey' "that there wero no '' .wifeless stations,, fortifications, or men.' i ;Tlie; Australian ships then left. - . On''returning they■< found --'the. Ger- :. mans ; ' atHabual'iiv the' meantime had •'i.boen."busy.;,.'.Trenches' had been dug, ■reads-: mined,;.'and /wireless apparatus .erected.. 'Other-'preparations were, also -^ihade"':,'which necessitated:, the second :; ;etia'ck and'consequent loss of life, '■./■•''•.ine ."Herald", adds:,"lt is stated on 'good-authority, that when tie.first visit ;-was made a number of German soldiers ; .were concealed oh German merchantmen then-in'harbour,'and'it is surmis-' r .ed. 'that v after the departure .of '■the 'Australian: warships these prepared for ;Resisting:the landing of the Expeditionary Force." R,ear-Admiral Patey. received assui-ances from l the Governor of ~ New' Guinea that, there would bo no ■resistance offered to' the Expeditionary '''force'.'', •'■'■':', •• •"> . '/.'• ■-.'■■'--