GREAT NAVAL VICTORY IN SOUTH ATLANTIC

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2330, 11 December 1914, Page 5

GREAT NAVAL VICTORY IN SOUTH ATLANTIC

END OF THE CRUISER BUNT SCHARNHORST, GNEISENAU, AND LEIPZIG SUNK BY THE BRITISH i. r —r~ By Tategraph.—Press Aseooleticn—C»pjtleM , Hia Excellency tho Governor las received from the Secretary of State"for jlfhe Colonies the following cable message, dated London, December 9. 8.20 Ip.m.:— , ' , f ; Offioial. —"The Admiralty announces that on the morning of December 8 .fthe Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Nuremburg, Dresden, and Leipzig were sighted fnear the Falkland Islands by a British squadron under Vice-Admiral Sturdee. i "An action .followed, fnd the Soharnhorst, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral - IjTon Spee, the .Gneisenau and the Leipzig were all sunk. f "The Dresden and the Nuremhurg are being pursued. Two colliers .were Ulso captured. . [ "Our casualties are very Blight. Some survivors were rescued from tho I Gneisenau and the; Leipzig." ,' „ s 1, * London, December 9. . . i Official.—Vice-Admiral Squadron, off the Falkland -Islands, at • i"7.30 on the morning of December 5 (*), engaged and Bank Vice-Admiral .von ' iSpee's flagship Scharnhorst, atid the Gneisenau and tho Leipzig. The squadron [pursued the Dresden and Nurnberg. ' . r *The above message, as cabled, is not in agreement with His Excellency 6 ' js&dvice, which states that the action took place on December 8. ( ; , Washington, December 8. The British' Embassy state's officially: "The British fleet sank the Gnei'aenau, Sch'ariihbrst, and Leipzig off tho Falkland Islands. Vice-Admiral Stur- ' ( dee captured two colliers. The casualties were few. Some 6urrivor&from the 'Gneisenau and Leipzig were rescued." • Sydney, December 10. A Sydney "Sun" service message states that there were three British .Casualties. . The Falkland Islands are a British group in the South Atlantic, about $00 mfles north-east of Cape Horn. - SURPRISED BY AN UNKNOWN SQUADRON. (Rec. December 11, 0.40 a.m.) London, December 10. The Navy List shows' that Vice-Admiral Sturdee was Chief of the War '(Staff. It appears that/the Germans have been surprised by an unknown 'squadron, of which the commander was: supposed to be working at Whitehall. INTENSE SATISFACTION IN AUSTRALIA (Reo. December 10, 9 p.m.) / Sydnay, December 10. Intense Satisfaction is expressed in trade and official crcles at the destruction of the German Pacific Squadron,thus ensuring the security of Australa'man interests in the Pacifio and the safe dispatch of troops. ■ / Melbourne, December 10. ' The joy which prevails in naval circles at Vice-Admiral Sturdee's victory fta tempered by the fact that the Australian ships did not participate. ' The Navy Office officially states that after tho destruction of the Good Irtjope and Monmouth', the Admiralty dispatched a strong squadron from European waiters to deal with the German ships. This fleet brilliantly avenged admiral Cradock's defeat. • i Unprecedented enthusiasm prevails-and flags are flying everywhere, , JUBILATION THROUGHOUT CANADA STORY OF A BRITISH CHALLENGE TO THE LEIPZIG. ' ' (R-ec. December 10, 11.35 p.m ) Ottawa, December 10. There are groat rejoicings throughout Canada at the result of/the South battle. Official circles express satisfaction, as the Pacific trade routes were constantly #udangc;eJ by tho presence of, the Germans m tho .'Pacific, . . . It was not disclosed during the early months of the war that the British cruiser Rainbow wirelessed the Leipzig, then in San Francisco Harbour, giving Jther position outside, and asking tior to "come out and light." The Leipzig s

captain had previously told American interviewers that he intended to dispose of the British warships in the North Pacific one by one. He refused the challenge of the Rainbow." . ~ „ . It is underetood that only the Bremen and Karlsruhe aTe now in the bout-n Atlantic. ' NAVAL OPERATIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA . . PAN-AMERICAN UNION TAKES ACTION. (Rec. December 10. 8 p.m.) Washington, December 9. The Pan-American Union has appointed a Commission, including Mr. \V. J. Bryan (Secretary of State), and tlie various South American Ambassadors, to study the effect of the belligerents' operations in American and boutn American^watos^our S to prevent belligerents taking refuge in the harbours. BRITISH STRATEGY IN THE NORTH SEA TESTIMONY. BY 'AN AMERICAN GENERAL'. Washington, December 9. Giving evidence before the Houee 0 ommittee on naval ; General Cfrozier Baid that so long as the German fleet was; bottled, it less to Germany. The British were fol lowing sound stretegy m reaistag ' the temptation to bring about an engagement. No ouj i" risk his fleet great forts or mi nes unless he intended to immediately force a general engagement.. The Irtish Feet would fully accomplish purpose of its existence/ even if it- never iougnt the