Second Edition. On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 52, 4 March 1915, Page 6

Second Edition. On the Sea

OTTOMAN EMPIRE DOOMED.

United Press Association.

(Received 2 p.m.)

Venice, March 3

The Neue Freie Press states: The bombardment of the Dardanelles is the first step towards, the destruction of the .Ottoman Empire. The displacement pi the Powers' relationship in the Mediterranean will be so over, powering that, it must be reckoned as one of the most serious consequen-J ces of the war. '- ." : ; !

THE FALKLAND ISLANDS' FIGHT.

London, March 3

Vice-admiral S|-urdee'..s despatch sta. ted that the Gneisenau anil N'urnberg were -sijghted eight.,miles '.away, and two other, enemy vessels twenty miles away. The Gneisenau. and Nmnberg approached with, guns trained on the wireless station, until the Canopus' opened/fire across.Jow land'at 11,000 yards. They seemed about to attack the Kent when.the Invincible and In* flexible were sighted. They immediately t altered their course, and made speed to join their consorts.-. The British left the harbor at 9.45 a.m. Visibility was at the maximum, the sea calm, bright and clear, with a light breeze.' By il o'clock \he enemy's, funnels and bridges were just abov§ the horizon. The Bristol and Macedonia, were detached to destroy three transports reported at Port Pleasant. The enemy still maintaining his distance, I decided to attack with the Invincible, Inflexible and: Glasgow. We opened fire at 1.47 p.m. at 16,500 yards. The Leipzig turned to the ■outh-east„ with the Nurnberg ■ and Dresden. The Kent and Glasgow followed. Battle-cruisers, chasing the Scharnhorst'and Gneisenau, forced them to. return their fire at 1.30. The enemy, at 2 o'clock, ..turned 10, points to.the starboard, and a second chase ensued, • until they were forced to open fire at 2.55, when the Scharnhorst was afire forward, but not seriously, though her fire was slackened perceptibly. .She-turned at 3.30 for the purpose of bringing her starboard guns into action. The effect of our fire was now apparent. At times a shell would cause,, a large hole to appear in the side, of the ship, through which could be the dull red glow of flames. At 4 o'clock the Scharnhorst, whose flag had been flying to the last, suddenly listed heavily to* port. Within .a minute it was clenr 6 that ih& %as doomed. The list increased very rapid, ly, until she lay on her. beam ehds> and she disappeared at 4.17 p.m. The i Gneisenauricontinued a determined'but ineffective fight-against the two. battle-cruises., One shell struck the, Invincible at<s.ls. This,was the Gneisenau'sjrlast pff.eative effort. Soon she showed a heavy?li3t to starboard, .pwjiahg- from escape pipes and}sWwkO from sho!) fires everywhere. T ;.|rftl'/"but r the Gneisenau, reopened. 'WW**-single., gun.' Her : flag;,was ( senan,> jboeled oyer at. 6.. o'clock. very showing thes,„men gathered on her„.deck&, and, 1 then walking along her side as she lay for a, minute on her beam ends. . The survivors had been ordered to secure hammocks and other floatable articles! ; . When, the vessel sank probably 200 men were unwounded, but the-shock"of the cold water drowned many within, sight of the boats. Every effort was mado to save life. The Invincible rescued 10S, but fourteen of these died.before they could be brought aboard. They were (juried the following day, with, fall military honors. ' '",

Meanwhile the .Glasgow,' steaming ahead, forced the Leipzig to alter her course, enabling, the Cornwall to open fire. The Kent,, owing to excellent and strenuous endeavours in the engineroom, got within range of the Nurnberg at five o'clock, and the Nuraberg was afire;,hy:6:3 i>. l m. When she sank at, 7.20,' a group of men could be"'seen on the deck waving the German ensign. The |£eat.'had four killed;and twelve wounded, mostly caused by one shell. The Dresden escaped, owing to the of the Glasgow stopping the Leipzig. Tlie weather changed at four o'clock to cloudy, assisting the Dresden, to escape., Admiral4Sfcurdee adds: "Officers and men canned t out orders with admirable efficiency and coolness."

Sergeant Mayes, of the Kent, is recommended for the conspicuous gallantry medaL: A .shell bursting ignited the cordite charges in, the casement. A flash of flame went dovvil the hoist into the amriiunttiori passage.. Mayes picked .up the charge of cordite, and threw it away, and then flooded the compartment, saving a disaster which might have lost the ship.