A Naval Battle.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 11 December 1914, Page 8

A Naval Battle.

THREE GERMAN WARSHIPS SUNK. END OF THE PACIFIC ■ SQUADRON. TWO ENEMY SHIPS BEING * tv "" CHASED. FEW BRITISH CASUALTIES. Wellington, December 10. The Governor has received a cable from Mr Harcourt, Secretary for the Colonies, that the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Leipsig have been sunk in action by a British squadron off the Falkland Islands. The Dresden and Number;* are being chased. Wellington, December 10.

The text of the cable received by the Governor from Mr Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies, is as follows: —The Admiralty announce'that on the morning of December 8 the Scharnliorst, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, Dresden and Leipsig were sighted near the Falkland Islands by the British squadron under Vice-Admiral Sturdee. An action followed, and the Scharnliorst, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral von Spec, the Gneisenau and Leipsig were all sunk. The Dresden and Nurnberg are being pursued. Two colliers were captured. Our casualties were very slight. Some survivors were rescued from the Gneisenau and Leipsig. London, December !). Official. — Vice - Admiral Sturdee's squadron off Falkland Islands at 7.30 on the morriitfg of December 8 engaged f and sunk Admiral von Spce's flagship Scharnliorst, the Gneisenau and the Leipsig, and pursued the Dresden and Nurnberg. Vice-Admiral Sturdee captured two colliers. The casualties were few. Some survivors' of the Gneisliau and Leipsig were saved. . Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, December 9. The British squadron engaged and r sunk the Scharnhorstj Gneisenau and I Leipsig off the Falkland Island. There were three British casualties.

HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED. Washington, December 9. The British Embassy Ims been officially informed that the British fleet sunk the Gneisenau, Scharnliorst and Leipsig off the Falkland Islands.

ENTHUSIASM IN' AUCKLAND. i ' iy, Auckland, Yesterday. The publffcation of the news of the British naval victory caused unbounded enthusiasm, the crowds round the newspaper offices cheering lustily again and again. On the Stock Exchange the news was received with rousing cheers and the brokers sang "Rule Britannia." New Zealand Insurance shares advanced four shillings, [The Scharnliorst and Gneisenau are well-known now as the vessels which sunk the Good Hope and Monmouth. They were modern cruissrs of 11,420 tons, with a speed of 22.5 knots, and each carried eight 8.2-in guns and six 5.9-inin. guns. The Leipsig was a cruiser of 3350 tons, built in 1900, carrying ten 4.1-in. guns. The Nurnberg and Dresden are also small cruijsers of 3350 and 3544 tons respectively, with Bpeeds of 23 or 24 knots. They are not really dangerous when compared with the bigger boats that have been sunk, as almost any British warship could meet them with some hope of success. The Falkland Islands, which belong to Britain, about 300 miles cast of Magelmh Strait, north-east of Cape Horn.]

OTHER NAVAL NEWS. Melbourne, December 10. Captain Glossop, captain of the Sydney, in his official report estimates the Emden's losses at approximately seven officers and 108 men killed, three officers and 53 men wounded, of whom an officer and three men had died. Ho took the survivors, nurdering 211, aboard the, Sydney, under Ike strict promise of the Emden's captain that all wound be amenable to the ship's discipline en route to Colombo, 'j-cndon, December !). The Ayeslia, which was stolen from Cocos Island by some of the crew of the Emden, called at Padang (Sumatra) on November 28 and obtained supplies. The crew before leaving Cocos Island robbed the cable stall' of personal effects and valuables worth ,CIG2.

BRISSLAU APPEARS AND DISAPPEARS. Pctrograd, December 9. The Breslau appuun.'il oil' Sebastopol. Our cruisers and aeroplanes attacked and tile lireßkm disappeared. REJOICINGS JX CANADA. OVER NAVAL VICTORY. THE LEIPZIG'S INTENTIONS. Received 10, 11.35 p.m. Ottawa, December 10. There are great rejoicings throughout Canada at the result of the South American battle. Official circles express satisfaction, as the Paciiic trade routes were constantly being endangered. The presence of the Germans in tin; Pacific was not disclosed during the early months of the war. The Rainbow wirelessed the Leipzig in San Francisco harbor from her position outside, asking the Leipzig to come out and fight. The Leipzig's captaiu had previously told Alnerican interviewers tliat he intended to dispose of the British warships in the North Pacific one by one. He refused the challenge. It wag understood that only the Bremen and Karlsruhe