On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 55, 21 October 1914, Page 5

On the Sea

COMPELLED TO FIGHT.

HOW THE FOUR GERMAN DESTROYERS' WENT DOWN.

United Press Association. London, October 19

Details of the sinking of the four German destroyers show that by line seamanship the enemy was compelled to light. They faced the odds bravely, and opened lire at a range of live miles. Then the Britishers closed in, and began a running fire. While the cruiser Undaunted devoted her attention to the two destroyers, the British destroyers made fine practice on the others. The .Royal quickly shot down the funnel and wheel of one, and the Canoe, Legion,, and Lennox battered the other. The German gunnery is described as poor. The British destroyers were almost unscathed. After half-an-hour’s fighting the first of the enemy’s craft sank, and at intervals the others, still fighting gamely, were sunk, maintaining their fire until the end. The fight lasted an hour and ahalf. The UndauntedV first wireless on Saturday read: “Pursuing four German destroyers.” The second read: “SunK the lot.”

The skipper of a Lowestoft trawler relates that lie saw the destroyers o!7 the Dutch coast. Whey the British appeared the destroyers opened fire, but the Britishers’ speed frustrated their move. The Undaunted fired her forward guns, and one destroyer was blown out of the water. The rest sank rapidly.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

(Received 8.4 a.m.) London, October 20.

The raarkmanship of the Undaunted was excellent, pieces of the enemy’s ship being blown high into the air.

A survivor says the crew were informed they were going to attack Portsmouth. Several Dutch steamers witnessed the fight, and a shell carried away part of the rigging of a Dutch trawler.

THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

Times and Sydney Sun Services

London, October 20

The Times’ naval correspondent says that during the progress of the sea war of their own choosing the Germans succeeded in knocking off some useful vessels, their list of feats embodying a large amount of luck. Our score has been chiefly made good in the old, above-board fashion, although the British submarines have shown they can also play the other game successfully. The affair of Saturday was an illustration of what may happen to other warships trying to sneak up the Belgian coast.-" r "v . !

London, October 19

The Times, in a leader, says its one anxiety is that our naval men may meet the Germans in the open, ana asks whether it is necessary or desirable to employ cruisers like the Hawke to patrol and inspect commerce. Couldn’t it be done better and more effectually by small merchant ships carrying a couple of Gin. guns, faster than many of tho cruisers now engageed? The loss of men and material w r ould be relatively insignificant if they came to grief. IN THE ADRIATIC. /AUSTRIAN SUBMARINE SUNK BY FRENCH FLEET. United Peess Association. .Cettinje, October 19. Two Austrian submarines attacked the French fleet conveying transports from Antivari to Dalmatia. One destroyer was sunk.IN KAIO-CHAU BAY. THE LOSS OF THE JAPANESE DESTROYER.

Pekin, October 19. There w'ere 284 aboard the Takachiho.

LOSE THEIR LIVES IN THE DARKNESS. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Tokio, .October 20

The Takachiho was on patrol duty. Destroyers hurried to her assistance, but the cruiser disappeared quickly. The work of rescue was difficult in the darkness. Twenty-eight officers, 51 petty officers, and 189 seamen were drowned.

GERMAN HOSPITAL SHIP DISMANTLED OF WIRELESS.

(Received 8.45 a.m.) London, October 20,

The German hospital ship Ophelia was brought to Yarmouth for examination by the Authorities, and dismantled of its wireless apparatus.

SUGGESTION TO SHUT NEUTRALS FROM NORTH SEA.

(Received 8.45 a.m.) London, October 20

The Times naval correspondent suggests closing the North Sea against neutrals in order to lighten the North Sea Fleet’s work.

REDUCTION OF WAR RISKS. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, October 20. The Atlantic war risks have been reduced to 7s 6d.