Shelling of Papeete

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 128, 23 October 1914, Page 5

Shelling of Papeete

TOWN NOT DELIBERATELY, ' ■ SHELLED. ft GERMANS' BAD MARKSMANSHIP. " By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. ' . Auckland,- Last Night, interesting accounts of the effects of ' the German bombardment of Papeete are told by passengers on the Taluno, which arrived in Auckland to-day from the Islands. Mr. 11. Hemus, who made the round trip with the boat, states that when they arrived off the French port on September 9 they found tho old gunboat Zelee and the German collier Walkure sunk in the harbor, while on every hand there were evidences of damage done by German shells. The big store of coal which the French !had ignited when the Germans first made their appearance was still burning, and the harbor beacons which had been blown up on the approach of the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau were no longer visible. Mr. Hemus said that in spite of the extensive nature of the damage, he was of opinion that the position of the dam- , aged buildings indicated that the town was not deliberately shelled. Practically all l r nc damage lay in the line of the forts on the hills, and of the gun-, boat Zelee,' and bore out the account previously given that the shells which dropped on the town were due to the bad markmanship of the German gunners, consequent upon tho swell on toe sea.

Speaking of the effects of the shells upon the various buildings, Mr, Henvus said that in the Circe Bourgaville, one shell had penetrated the building along the entire length of tho roof. Another shell r nad gone through four differtit -walls without exploding. Amongst the most extensively damagod business premises in the town are those of Messrs A. B. Donald, in the Rue do Commerce. No shells had struck tho premises, butr they had been caught by the fire which had spread unchecked after the inhabitants had lied. The front of the store was undamaged, but the remainder of the'buildings, stocked with island merchandise of every description, had been destroyed.

Mr. Henius was unable to give an estimate of the damage done to his firm's premises, but said that the French authorities had estimated the damage done to the island at £125,000. Many of the Gorman residents of the. town had left Tahiti at the outbreak of tho war, but after the bombardment those who were left were taken prisoners, and when the Talune arrived they were engaged in the task of clearing up the debris.

Travellers by the Talune recognised in the perspiring Teutons many residents with whom they preivously had been Intimately acquainted. While the Talune was in Papeete, the French boat St Francis, which loft to give the alarm at' 'Apia, safely returned.