EAST COAST RAID

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2358, 14 January 1915, Page 7

EAST COAST RAID

ENGLAND AROUSED PREPARING TO REPEL ANY NEW EXPLOIT. (New York. "Post" Correspondent.) London, December 17. With mingled feelings of wrath and rosentment at this attack on unfortified towns, England is astir to-day as not before since war was declared. Another raid is confidently expected, and the entire machinery of home defence has been put into motion. On the east and tho south-east coast of England emergency committees are at work, while in London phns to organise a national guard of men too old for military service are under way. Although to the British mind a raid on London seems remote, yesterday's episode drove home the realities of war as nothing else oould. Arrangements have been made at Deal and Dover to expedite the removal of the civilian population in case of an attack. These measures are primarily to forestall any panic or congestion on the railroads and thoroughfares which might impede military movements. Tho belief is general that the Germans in this expedition had the able assistance of spies. The remarkable secrecy with which the raid was executed is shown by the fact that not an incoming vessel at any oast coast' port saw the German ships prior to their sudden appearance. The nearest paral-* lei to this visit of yesterday is found in the activities of John Paul Jones at the time of the American Revolution. Escape of the Raiding Squadron. A dispatch to the "Daily Express" from Hartlopool says that as the German squadron steamed out to aea mines were dropped to prevent ships from following in their wake. Steammg at high speed, the cruisers, barring mishap, should have reached their advance naval base off Heligoland soma ;ime after midnight last night, their trip requiring about fifteen hours. Thirty hours out of post on such a venture in mine-laden waters is a feat England papers do not belittle. Englishmen express hopes that' it will be essayed again, and,, if neoessary, again, until the call is paid once', too often. The towns attacked yesterday had resumed much of their normal appearance by to-day, except in the bereaved homes and in the hospitals where the wounded were quartered. Everywhere the sound of hammering was heard as the damage was repaired. Other Towns Warned. The news of the German raiders' arrival was promptly sent to the military authorities of all coast towns and prearranged steps were immediately taken everywhere so a 6 to bo prepared in case a raid developed at other points. The Mayor of- Tynemouth, on the North Sea, eight miles east-north-east of Newcastle, immediately ordered the gas supply turned off, directed the police to round up a large number of aliens, and issued tho following proclamation to the emergency committee: "There is a rumour that a battle is proceeding in the North Sea, and there is a possibility of a hostile attack on 'J'ynomouth. The civil population is advised to remain indoors, but if the people wish to leave their dwellings they should proceed in, the direction of Newcastle. There is no reason for undue alarm, and we strongly urge the population not to leave town, as notice will be promptly given if we consider this necessary." There is much speculation, in London as to how far the German raid has succeeded in creating a feeling of uneasiness or panic in other coast towns. One of the London newspapers telegraphed to the Mayors of all coast towns, asking them what effect the news of the enemy's visit had had. All replies received so far indicate that no panic' is felt: Among the replies are the following:— Felixtowe—Complete arrangements have been made here for. all eventualities. Business is going on as usual. Great Yarmouth—We have taken all necessary precautions io protect the inhabitants m the event of a bombardment here. The people are quite calm. Harwich—The oity is calm and normal. Hull—The excitement over the raid soon subsided hero. We have full confidence in the Navy. Lowostoft—The raid has not affected our nerves. Tho emergency committee has taken every precaution. No attack is . expected, but wo are prepared for any contingency. Refugees Arrive in London. A number of refugees and travellers arrived in London from the bombarded towns during the night. Some of 'them showed signs of the raid in bandages covering minor injuries received. Arthur Wood, manager ,of the electric light company at Scarborough, had his head swathed with bandages to cover wounds where pieces of shell had struck him in two or three places. His son, who accompanied him, was also wounded in two places. The elder Wood said: "I was standing in front of my house when a shell burst a few yards away, and fragments ricochetted from a window sill and hit both myself and my son. I took my family to the cellar, where we bound up the wounds, and remained there until all sounds of the bombardment had ceased. Wo then decided to leave town for a rest. ' 'It is my impression that the damage to the fine houses along the waterfront was very heavy. The. town has scarcely a window pane left. At the first sound of the firing our soldiers were ordered into the trenches, to prevent any attempts to land troops." A commercial traveller who smoked a cigar on the porch of a hotel at Scarborough throughout tlie bombardment said: "Although there was some excitement in the town, the attack was over | so soon that there was no panic. The guns engaged in the attack were evi-, | dently or small calibre, as the damage done by each shell was confined te a small area, while some of tho shells merely cut clean small holes in buildings, passing on harmlessly. My hotel was struck by several shells, but nobody was injured. One shell wrecked two rooms, but fortunately neither of them was occupied." A Cool Housewife. Another passenger from Scarborough was a cool young housewife, who said; "At daybreak I glanced out of my kitchen window and saw three warships lying quietly in the haze a mile or two off shore. It never occurred to mo that they were anything but British ships, so I went quietly about my preparations for breakfast. "About eight o'clock I hoard _ the sound of guns, but paid no particular notice. A few minutes later there came a shock—l cannot think of a hotter word for it. A sholl had struck tho house and passed straight through the room I was in. I was poaching eggs ah tho tinio. I looked up and saw great holes in the walls near the ceding, indicating tho course of tho missile. I was puz7,l»d f<?r " n:c:r.c"t, rsd tl'mi suddpsly realised that the Germans wsre shelling Scarborough. "I took the family to tho cellar, where we remained for an hour, during which one more sholl struck the roof and fell into the drawing-room, smashing up the furniture. Another shell ploughed up our garden."