Maritime Activities

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 196, 27 January 1915, Page 5

Maritime Activities

ARMED MERCHANTMAN LOSS. OFF THE IRISH COAST. Received 26, 9.50 p.m. London, January 26. The Admiralty reports that the British armed merchantman Viknor was lost, with all hands, during a gale, perhaps by striking a mane, off the north of Ireland, where bodies and wreckage have been found. THE WAR ON MERCHANTMEN. NOT MUCH SUCCESS IET. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 26, 5.5 p.m. Londoh, January 28. The Times' naval correspondent, referring to recent operations, says the desire to carry out Admiral Von Tirpitz's threat to sink British merchantmen has not been wanting, although up to the present its expression has not been strikingly successful.

THE KARLSRUHE ACTIVE. . ELEVEN STEAMERS SUNK RECENTLY. Received 27, 1.20 ajn. New York, January 2i6. German advices state that the Karlsruhe sank eleven merchantmen during the last, fortnight. AUSTRIAN CRUISER SUNK. Received 27, 1.20 ajn. Rome, January 26. 16 is reported that an Austrian cruiser was mined and sunk near Trieste. THE FALKLAND'S FIGHT. SOME MORE PARTICULAR. SOME OF THE SHIPS ■UNOAGED. Wellington, Last Night. The extent of the censorship on war newa reaching the Dominion is not realised until vessels from overseas arrive and give first-hand accounts of some of tiie stirring events the world oveT during the past six months. The news which reached New Zealand on Decem--1 ber 10th that a British squadron, under Admiral Sturdee, had disposed of the Gncisenau, Scharnhorst, Leipzig, and Nurnberg created much joy, but to this day mystery has surrounded the composition of the %itish squadron which gained the great victory. Even the English Press up till this evening's mail v.as dumb on the subject.

The arrival oX the steamer Orari (New Zealand transport, So. G) from Alexandria afforded an opportunity of hearing further details o£ what took place in this battle. The New Zealand transports, with those carrying the Australian troops, were convoyed, as is well known, by the Japanese ship Ibuki and H.M.S. Minotaur, the flagship of the China Squadron. The (Minotaur, however, did not proceed with the troops far past the Australian coast. The transports were outside Fremantle on Tuesday, 3rd November. The convoy then consisted of the Pyramus, Minotaur, Ibuki, Sydney, and Melbourne. Five flays afterwards, however, those on hoard the transports were much surprised to learn that the Minotaur was leaving them for "Destination unknown/' I* was on the following Sunday morning that the his British warship left the fleet, and steamed quickly westwards. Where did the Minotaur go? This question was answered for curious New Zealanders to-day, when the Orari arrived with official, hut hitherto confulential, news that the Admiralty had ordered the warship to join Admiral Sturdee's squadron off South America. This the vessel did, and early in December was engaged in the battle of tha Falkland Islands, when the German Pacific Fleet met its fate. One of the reasons given lor the Minotaur being sent to join Admiral Sturdee's squadron v:as that her guns were exactly the kind required for an engagement with the German cruisers. Moreover, she was one of the fastest cruisers available,

The Orari also brought news that the flagship of Admiral Sturdee's fleet was H.M.S. Cochrane, an armored cruiser of 13,550 tons, a speed of 27 knots, and fitted with six 9.2-inch guns, four 7.5inch guns, and 24 three-pounders. She carries a complement of 704 officers and men. The other principal British ship concerned in the fight was \'ie Goliath, of 12,960 tons, carrying 700 officers and men, and four 12-mch guns, twelve flinch, and ten 12-pounders.