To keep the German high command informed, on 8 September Spee detached "Nürnberg" to Honolulu to send word through neutral countries. "Nürnberg" returned with news of the Allied capture of German Samoa, which had taken place on 29 August. "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" sailed to Apia to investigate the situation. Spee had hoped to catch a British or Australian warship by surprise, but upon his arrival on 14 September, he found no warships in the harbor. On 22 September, "Scharnhorst" and the rest of the East Asia Squadron arrived at the French colony of Papeete. The Germans attacked the colony, and in the ensuing Battle of Papeete, they sank the French gunboat "Zélée". The ships came under fire from French shore batteries but were undamaged. Fear of mines in the harbor prevented Spee from entering the harbor to seize the coal, which the French had set on fire.