CRUISERS IN WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1930, Page 2

CRUISERS IN WAR

EXAMPLE 1 OF 1914. TWO FAMOUS BATTLES. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 22. “It was only by our overwhelming strength in cruisers that we were able to keep the Atlantic trade routes clear, and we can’t afford to- run the risk again. If any Government is fool enough to cut down our cruiser strength then it is good-bye to our supremacy.”

These remarks were made by the Roy. E. E. Malden last night, when addressing the Canterbury Officers’ Club on the cruiser warfare of 1914-15. The audience also listened to an interesting account of the destruction of Admiral Cradock’s squadron at Ceronel on November Ist. 1914, and the subsequent victory of Admiral Sturdee at the Falkland Islands. “Reduce battleships as much as you like,” said Mr Malden, “but as long as it is possible for enemy ships to emulate the deeds of the Emden, Koningsberg, Karlsruhe, and Admiral von Spee’s squadron, so long will it be necessary for the British Empire to have enough cruisers to police the wnterwavs of the world. I trust all clear-thinking people of New Zealand view with grave misgiving the rednotion of our cruiser strength from 70 to 50.”

PATROLLING TRADE ROUTES. Mr Malden explained the positions of the British cruisers in the Atlantic at the declaration of war. These were insufficient to patrol the trade routes. they were concentrated to watch Points where these routes converged, although this duty was at times confused with that of watching bases from which enemy ships might converge, and later by acting as escorts to troops. The fact that the Germans did not arm merchant ships and send them out as raiders was accounted for by the fact that all their cables passing across the Channel were cut within a few hours of the declaration of war. He spoke of the Western Atlantic squadron. nnder Sir Christopher Cradock, and the exploits of the German raider Karlwulie. Within Men days of the declaration of war Cradock had cleared the routes of the Northern Atlantic, and trade was running as usual. BATTLE OF CORONEL.

When Cradock at length came upon von Spee’s squadron he found himself in a hopeless position with the one ship which could, stand against the German guns, the Canopus, three hundred miles away. It was too far to run without being brought to action, so he decided to force an action while he had the setting sun behind him and the advantage of the light, Von Spee was too good a sailor to be caught like that, and he turned away, keeping the range at 18,000 yards, waiting for the sun to- set-, So soon as It had set, the Germans were almost Invisible against the land, and, closing Into 12,000 yards, they opened fire just after 7 p.m. With the heavy sea running it was almost impossible for our gunners to work the guns with any precision. The Germans closed in to within 5000 to 0000 yards and knocked the Good Hope and Monmouth to pieces. The Glasgow had a miraculous escape. By 8 o’clock the action was over, Cradock and his men were gone, and we had lost our first sea fight for centuries,

DEFEAT OF VON SPEE. After this victory von Spee loitered about, and the British Admiralty took strong measures against him. In all, five squadrons were sent to patrol the Atlantic, and a sixth to watch the Panama Canal. Admiral Sturdee, with his squadron, arrived at the Falkland Islands on December 7th. to recoal, intending to leave two days later. They thought von Spee’s squadron' was on the other side of Cape Horn, so great was their surprise when, on December Bth. in the morning, they received the news that the enemy were approaching. _ Von Spee thought he had only the Canopus and the small cruisers to deal with, but when he approached the harbour, the Gneisenau leading, he saw the smoke and the tripod masts of the Invincible and the Inflexible. The German ship turned, but Sturdee, steaming at 24 knots out of the harbour soon found he had the pace on von Spee. Then the chase began. Shortly before 1 o’clock in the afternoon the British opened fire at 16,000 yards. Quickly von Spee saw his peril and decided to let Ids small cruisers away if possible and to fight it out with the Scharnhorst and Gncisnnu. But so soon as they turned off the British light crui.serrs were after them. At 3 o’clock the two big enemy ships were on fire, and soon after the flagship sank. The Gneisenau continued for another hour and then heeled over and sank, too. The British squadron had not a man killed or wounded. The chase after the light cruisers was exciting. The Lomeig was sunk the fifirae day. TV F’mit sank the Nurn.berg, while the Dresden got away, only to be eventually destroyed on the West Coast of America by the Glasgow and another ship-. The Glasgow was the only ship to be in all three actions. Mr Malden also narrated the exploits of the Emden,