Maritime Activities

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 163, 16 December 1914, Page 5

Maritime Activities

TURKISH BATTLESHIP SUNK. BY BRITISH SUBMARINE. DARING EXPLOIT IN THE DARDANELLES. . AUSTRIAN TORPEDOERS SUNK. THE DRESDEN SAFE IN CHILI. ' London, December 14. Official.—The Turkish battleship Mcssudieli (0120 tons) Ims been torpedoed by a Britisli submarine. The Press Bureau states that Commander Norman Holbroo, of sumbarine Ml, entered the Dardanelles on Sunday in of difficult currents, dived under five rows of mines and torpedoed the Messudieh, which was guarding the mine field. When last seen she was sinking by the stern. The submarine returned safely, although pursued by gunfire and torpedo boats. On one occasion she was submerged for nine heurs. [The Messudich was built in IS7O and reconstructed in 1001. She carried two !).2-inch and twelve 6-inch guns. By her loss Turkey is deprived of one-third of her battleships.] Rome, December 14. J Two Austrian torpedo boats struck Imines and sunk at Pola. All the crews I were drowned. I Washington, December 14. Mr Latham, American Consul at Punta Arenas (Magellan Straits), reports that the cruiser Dresden lias arrived there uninjured. Rome, December 14. A fourth Dreadnought, the Conte di Cavonr, will be completed in February, and the Andrea Doria and Caio Dullio shortly afterwards. [These are vessels of 22,000 tons, carrying twelve or thirteen 12-inch guns, and with a speed of 21 knots.] IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC. A FRESH GERMAN SQUADRON APJRIVEES. Received 16, 12.15 a.m. Buenos Airea, December 15. Messages static that fho battle cruiser Van Dcr ffann has reached the South Atlantic, alcompanied by three; (merchantmen converted into armed cruisers. FEAR IN THE FALKLANDS. women: hidden in caves. Rexived Mi, 12.15 a.m. London December 15. Sir bow'.tu Vawson. interviewed in Lon<U,n, said thai, when passing ;v.pc Horn the steamer took a southerly course to avoid the German squadron. They found the lights of Port -Stanley extinguished. The vessel's signals asking for news were ignored, until it was known that she was British, the Falklauders fearing a raid by Admiral Von Spec. Tin: women had been sent away, or hidden In the caves. 1 TOLD BY WIRELESS. THE SYDNEY AND THE EMDEN. Wellington, Last Night. A highly interesting document relating to the fight between the Sydney and the Hidden has been sent by an officer of Transport No. 10 to a 'friend in Wellington. It is a report of the wireless messages received by the vessels during and after the fight. The first message was received at 0.31 a.m. on November oth, and was picked up by Private W. P. Falconer, Bth Wellington Infantry Regiment on wireless duty on H.M.N.Z.T. Arawa. The message was "5.0.5.," and "strange warship at entrance. Come." He read the wire: "Warship at entrance. Come," repeatedly from Cocos Island. He woke the wireless operator, Raw. In a few minutes the Emden tried to block the message by continuous interruption. The operator turned the received differently and managed to keep reading the Coeos Island message through the Emden's "block," and immediately reported' to the naval transport ollicer and tried to get* the Melbourne and the transport flagship Mauiiganui, but the other stations operating blocked the message. At C.-15 a.m., the Waimana- said, "Signals quite good," but could not yet the Mauiiganui. Five minutes later a signal was successfully sent to the Mauiiganui by sempahore. At 7.4 a.m., the Mauiiganui got a message through to the Melbourne, and at 7.10 a.m. the Sydney left for Cocos Island. At 0.32 a.m., the Sydney was sending code messages, which the Emden tried to block by sending at the same time. At 9.47 a.m., in order to clear the way, everybody was ordered to stop signalling. At 1.17 a.m., the Melbourne receive* from the Sydney: "Enemy beached to save herself from sinking," and 20 minutes afterwards the further message ''Pursuing merchant collier." Then the Minotaur sent her first message; asking for the movements of the enemy. At 1.40 a.m., the Sydney wirelessed to all stations: "Emden beached and done for." At noon, she added: "British casualties, two killed and thirteen wounded." There were no further messages that day, but next morning at 6.15 a.m., the Melbourne reported to the Ibuka: "No further apprehension re Emden. Ashore on North Cocos. Foremast and three funnels down, and she has surrendered, while the Sydney is intact, and proceeding to Direction Island. Do not know when she will rejoin convoy. She is remaining to take oil' all guns, and will probably land wounded prisoners on Direction Island. She is also to. report on condition of cable." The report has a note that the Arawa was the only ship out of 38 transports and four warships to pick up the message (presumably the calls from Cocos Island.) NORWAY ANNOYED. Received: 15, 8.20 p.m. Copenliag'jn, December 15. There is great indignation in Norway, c wing to the German Prize Court condemning five Norwegian si earners for carrying pit-wopa to England. i THE SYDNEY AT GIBRALTAR. Gibraltar, December 14. The Chamber of Commerce gave a ■ banquet to Captain Glossop, of the Sydi ney, and his officers. There were enthusiastic sceneajjauai^i|^gg^M||M|