HOW VON SPEE WAS TRAPPED

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 116, 18 January 1915, Page 7

HOW VON SPEE WAS TRAPPED

BATTLE OFF FALKLAND ISLANDS. THE INVINCIBLE LEADS BRYrISH SQUADKON. (The following vivid account of the destruction of Admiral von Sr.ae's squadron off the Falkland Islands is taken from the report supplied by officersof the battleship Invincible and cabled from Monte Video to the American Press.) MONTR VIDEO, Dec. 20. The Hritish baitlethip Invincible, with Admiral Sturdee aboard, arrived here to-day with the first story of the battle off Falkland Islands, from the •viewpoint of the victorious participants. The Invincible, which as Admiral Sfurdee's flagship, led the British squadron against Admiral von Spee's fleet, sinking the German flagship Scharnhorst and three ethers of the five German ships engaged, was damaged in severa places by German shells but none of the hite were dangerous. Nine officers and men of the Invincible were wounded, including Com. man.der Townsend, Officers of the Invincible stated that 189 Germans were saved, and have been sent to England as prisoners cf war. The British officers paid high tribute to the Germans, all agreeing that they fought bravely. Reach Port Stanley. The Invincible and Inflexible, according to officers of the Invincible, accompanied by the battleship Cancpus and the armoured cruisers Carnarvon and Cornwall and light cruisers ) Bristol and Glasgow, arrived at Port Stanley, the seaport f the Falklands, :n December 7 to coal. The big battle Tuners ran into the bay, 'which h almost completely land-locked. Silrouruled by the high hills, they were entirely hidden from outside. On the morning of December 8 tho 'Jerman squadron, consisting , of tho jcharnhorst, Leipzig, Numbers, Dresden, and Gneisenau, appeared on the hori'.on, accompanied by the convertHi merchantman PrineeEitel Frederick, wiih the evident Intentlen of talc'ng- the Falklands and ?:ei.';ing Port "Stanley as a coaling station. Finding apparently the British quadrtn cf five cruisers on guard, the Termans promptly cleared for action, nd, closing in fire, the British cruisers lep'ying. Brltlc fruirors Emerge.

The actirr, •.•■•• - s already furious when i i hire ugh the nr.rrow harbour entrance '•merged the two area! battle cruisers. "■"lt v jth her ei?ht 12-inch guns wung cut fcr action. Admiral von Spec nly then realised hi.s mistake, and 'ie trap into which he had fallen, and natle signal fur hi-3 littls squadron to scatter. It was to late, however, the Germans having drawn far within the liitish range. The Scharnhorst and. he Gneisenau at once became the targets, f*cr the British cruisers' salvos, he. light German ships being left tc ! he smaller British cruisers. The Invincible, being, in,the lead, ro--eived the brunt <sf the fire. Both German armoured cruisers, although seeing at once their hopeless position, fought desperately, and, being within range for their 8-inch guns, got heme several broadsides on the Invincible's side, which, however, rattled vainly against her heavy armour. German shells exploded all about the Invincible's decks for a few moments and one 8-in. shell wrecked the cruiser's ward room, but the crew wore all under -cover at battle stations. Meanwhile one 12-in. salvo after another was methodically battering the. German ships to plees, tearing away rheirarmour and opening gaping holes in their sides. Enemy Ships Take Fire. It was not long before the flames were licking about the upper works, first of the Scharnhorst, then of the Gneisenau, and one-, after the other their guns became silent as the crews were killed at their stations, But there was no hint of surrender . With the last of their guns still blazing defiance, first one, then the other of the two gallant cruisers heeled slowly over and went down. Admiral von Spee's flag at main truck of the Scharnhorst was the last seen of the cruiser. Meanwhile the Glasgow, which was in her second battle with the German squadron; had overtaken the Leipzig and was settling an account due since November 1 off Coronel. The fight was not so unequal as-that between the; larger ships, and it was on the Glasgow that most cf the British casualties took place. The Gin. guns of the Glasgow counted for more than the 4in of the Leipzig, and at the end of a twe-hour action the German sdrip, on fire and sinking, hoisted the white dag. ■'•;•■ The Glasgow promptly ceased firing, aiid, runh'ing down close to the sinking German ship, lowered her boats to save the remnants of her ereW.,Jßut .as,., the first British boats started across the. water on their errand cf mercy, accroding to the British accounts; another gun blazed forth from the Leipzig's; side and a shell exploded on the Glasgow's. decks. The Glasgow's guns were manned ence mere and another broadside poured into the German, sinking her. The British officers, however, expressed re. gret at this outcome of the heat of

battle, as lazy generally are inclined lo believe that riie shot fired from the Leipzig was accidental. The Oihsr British ships succeeded a little UUr in (.•c:uing up. with du; Nurnbarg. i-lev captain refused tc surrender, and, c nnjjtetely 1 and c lit'., eighi c!, riicito the b:ttcm. liar cles'K.v.tK.ii, hew | ever, was the salvaticn cf th-.- Dres ! den and tUa troopship Piinco JJitel FicJleriek, as vh,- British cruisers atop pej their pm-svit hi:?; GiK.-uih to pick! up the survivors u::n the Ntu'nberg, and this brief respite enabled the Dresden to get clear away. The description of four of the British ships engaged is as fellows: T,'he Invinc Ible. —Bat tie's hip, 17,250 tens displacement, 25 knots speed. eight 12-in. guns, eleven 4-hr. gnus. 5 torpedo tubes. Inflexible. —Sifter ship to the Invincible. Canopus.—Battleship, 12,950 . tens displacement, IS knots, four 12-in. guns, twelve 0-in. pun:;, twelve 12-pounders, eight 3-pounders. Glasgow.—Light cruiser, 5000 tons displacement, two G-in. guns, six 4-in. aims, and two torpedo tubes.