THE NAVAL BATTLE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 87, 11 December 1914, Page 5

THE NAVAL BATTLE

THE SUNKEN WARSHIPS. THEIR DESCRIPTIONS. The Seharnhorat and Gueisnau arc sister ships, known .as armoured cruisers. They were launched in 1906; they have a displacement of 11..400 tons and are 470 feet in length. Their engines were designed for 28,000 horse-power; their trial speed being 23 knots. The armament is very powerful, and consists of eight 8.2 in., six 5.9 in., and eighteen 21-|:>oinider guns, with four submerged torpedo tubes. Four of the big guns are mounted in twin turrets, the other four in broadside casemates. Six of these weaxDons can be fired on either broadside. The s.Din guns are in an armoured battery. Six-inch armour protects the waterline and vital parts, the same thickness being on the main gun positions. The maximum coal supply is 2000 tons. A complement of 7(54 officers and men is carried. The Scharnhorst flies the flag of the admiral in command of the cruiser squadron in China. The Gneisenau is also a unit of the China squadron. The other ship sunk —the Leipzig—was completed in 1906. It is a protected cruiser of 3,200 tons, with a speed of over 22 knots. It is armed with ten 4.lin. guns and two torpedo tubes. With coal bunkers full it can steam 5,000 knots at low speed without recoaling. A complement of 303 officers and men is carried.

The Dresden that escaped is a protected cruiser of 3,540 tons, with a speed of 24} knots. It is armed with ten 4.lin. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. Its steaming radius with bunkers full is 5,800 knots. It carries a complement of 361 officers and men. The other escapee—the Nurnberg—was launched in 1908, and with minor differences its tonnage, speed, armament, and complement is like that of teli Dresden. As the colliers were also .captured want of fuel in all probability reder them an easy quest. ADMIRAL STURDEE'S VICTORY. THE NURNBERG ALSO SUNK. LOOKING FOR THE DRESDEN. NO BRITISH VESSELS LOST.

Press Association —Copyright. (Eec. 10.5 a.m.) •LONDON, Dee. 10. (Official). —The Nurnberg was also sunk on the Bth. Search for the Dresden continues. The action lasted five hours, with intervals. The Scharnhorst sank after three hours, and the Gneisenau two hours later. No British vessls were sunk. [The Nurnberg is a protected cruiser of 3,350 tons and travels 25 knots. She carried ten 4.1-in guns and two torpedo tubes. Her complement was 322 officers and men.]

THE AEMY'S CONGEATULATIONS. THE KING CONGRATULATES , ADMIRAL STUSDEE. (Rec. 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, Dee. 10. The King and the Admiralty congratulated Vice-Admiral Sturdee and his squadron. Sir John French on behalf of the expeditionary army, congratulated the navy.

The action was fought on the Bth, not the sth.

ACCUSED FRENCHMAN SHOT. (Rec. 8.30 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Dee. 10. Germans at Bruges shot a Frenchman accused of furnishing the allies with the location of petrol depots. Aviators have recently developed amazing skill in bombing depots. The Germans have shifted hither and thither but are never safe from aeroplanes. FEARFUL DEVASTATION IN POLAND. A SECOND BELGIUM. (Rec. 9.50 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Dec. 10. Endless lines of trains are passing through Warsaw westwards, containing fresh Russian troops, mostly Siberian Cossacks: Warsaw shelters 70 000 refugees and there is fearful devastation in Poland. AUSTRIA'S NUMEROUS WOUNDED Rec. 9.50 a.m.) ROME, Dec. 10.

Austrian official headquarters admit that 60,000 wounded are in Vienna hospitals. One hundred and twenty thousand are convalescent. Public resorts close at ten o'clock.

AEROPLANES AND WAR. ,:■'.. MUCH DAMAGE DONE. - :-\ (Received 8.30 a.m.) PARIS, December 10. A Belgian aviator bombed a German transport column at Ostend destroying three motor lorries and throwing the column into confusion. From thence re \v?ht to Bruges and bombed a Cetßchuunt of cavalry and did much danwi'3. The Germans fired severing lis control wires. Tlie aviator then volplaned and landed J» the floods at ilascappelle, iie waded ashore and escaped. A German aeroplane bombed T-laze-brouck, killing six .civilians, seven soldiers,, and wounding a -]o:'~i civilians. An English aeroplane pureed and brought down a Taube a: Ypre?-. The oJftce J r ; ..;.,an^:, pilot were riddled with

AWARDS FOR BRAVERY.

BRITISH GALLANTRY. (Received 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 10. Drummer Bent of the East Lancashires ha s been awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry at Leyheer. On the night of the first of November when the platoon officer, sergeant and section commander was killed he took command with great presence of mind Bent previously brought up ammuni- ■ and succeeded in holding the position. tion under heavy shell and ride fire. Later he rescued several wounded from an exposed position. Lance Corporal Dobson of the Coldstream Guards, has also been awarded the Victoria Cress i!or twice rescuing wounded under heavy fire on the Aisne. REBUFF TO THE KAiSER. A SOUVENIR REFUSED. BY A FRENCH SOLDIER. (Received 8.30 a.m.) • PARIS, December 10. The Kaiser while in the Getz Hos'pital presented a French private with a ted rose saying: "Take this as a souvenir.'' The soldier refused to take it and throwing back the bod cover he revealed an amputated lea; and said: "Thai war souvenir is enough for me/' THE WAR AND FRANCE. TRENCHES CAPTURED. CONSIDERABLE ADVANCES MADE. i (Received 9 a.m.) | PARIS, December 10. A communique states the Allies nave ! progressed in the region of (j.iesnoy and Andeshy from two hundred to six hundred metres. Our artillery again mastered the German on the Aisne and at Champagne. The Germans near Eheims were forced to evacuate their trenches; we carried others in the Argonne region, repulsing six counter- attacks. We captured trenches at Le Pretre on the heights of the Meuse. INTERNED SHIPS. (Received 8:30 a.m.) HAMBURG, December 10. It is stated there is no intention to sell ships interned in America.