The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-11-19
Sydney Drove
Emden Ashore
in 80 Minutes
Australian Cruiser Kept Out O.
Range and Shot Antagonist to
Pieces--Was Hit by Only
Two Shells

respondent at Keeling, In the CocoS
Islands. Frederick Pollock, who was
an eyewitness of the destruction oil
the German cruiser Emden by the Aus
tralian cruiser sydney, cables a de-
tailed account of the affair.
The islands are inhabited only by
Malays, except for the stan oil the
Eastern Telegraph Company's cable
and wireless station on Direction ISL
and, one OF the group, and the de-
scendants of June Clunies Ross, \
Scottish naval officer who settled IN
the islands and founded a line OF "un'
crowned kings" some ninety years
ago.
Little news of the war reached the
islands except official bulletins, winch
were relayed through the cable sta'
ton. Then came a rumor mat the
cable company was sending rifles and
orders that the beach should be pa
trolled to guard against Germans who
might come and try to cut the cable
and destroy the wireless station. sing
apore later informed the Islands that
a German cruiser was on the way TO-
ward them, but except for one oil the
cable operators seeing what he
thought were searchlights at sea
night toward the end OF August, moth
ing came OF this report.
The Emden, with four funnels-the
fourth obviously merely a painted can
vas dummy arrived at full speed al
the entrance OF the lagoon at 8 O'Clock
in the morning. She few no flag, and
this fact together with the dummy fun
mel. aroused the suspicious OF the ga
BILE stan.
Cable instruments Wrecked.
The cruiser Immediately lowered an
armored launch and two boats, n
! landed three officers and forty men,
fully armed and equipped with o
Maxim guns. The Germans rushed
10 the cable station, expelled the OPP
orators, smashed the instruments, con
fscated the weapons of the stan and
nut armed guards in all the buildings
In spite OF the excitement outside
work went on as usual in the cable OF
fee until the Germans rushed In, ano
a general call for help was SEM ou'
lust before the wireless station was
blown up.
The Germans we're most civil, bu'
nut the stan under armed guards
while the instruments were destroyed
There was no brutality or pillaglng
Meanwhile the crew OF the launci
erappled for the cables, but failed L
cut them. The electrical stores the
were blown up.
The Emden's siren blew at 9 o'clocl
and the Germans on shore hurried |
the boats, but the Emden started I'm
mediately, leaving the boats behind
The appearance Of a warship to IN
eastward coming at full speed in pun
suit explained the departure. Tn
shin turned out to be the Sydney,
The Emden fired the first shot a
a range Of about S,700 yards Will
steaming north at her highest speed
The Emden's firing at first SCENE
excellent and the S%ydney's rather O.
ratio. 1t was learned afterward tha
the latter was due to the fact th'
the Sydney's rangefnder had bee
nut out of action by one Of the tw
shots the Emden got home.
Emden Set on Fire.
The Sydney's gunners soon owe
came the difficulties caused by II
IN smashing of the rangeflnder and b
$, fore long two of the Emden's funne
ne had been shot away. Her mast WI
I'D lost at the beginning of the nigh
The cruisers disappeared over I'll
horizon. both firing their big gun
in The Emden was afire aft,
rs. The landing party, which had sta
cd ont for the Emden, returned
IN. shore and lined up on the shore
the lagoon, evidently ready to fight
the Sydney sent men ashore, but DO
cruisers having disappeared, the G'
mans at G o'clock in the evening e
barked on the old schooner Ayesf
~ belonging to MT. hOss, lhc PiSSN
"%uncrowned king" Of the island 10
clothes and stores and sailed for
les unknown destination.
IN. The Sydney returned the next mo
viii ing and anchored at S:45 o'clo'
he From accounts given by the crew
seems that the Sydney, being I
ms speedier. kept out of range of
The Emden's guns, %bombarding her W
ife. heavier artillery. The engagem.
cir lasted eighty minutes. The Emo
my was beached north of Keeling ISLAM
as complete wreck.
to The Emden fred two effect
shells. One smashed the main raj
Gus finder of the Sydney and killed
be man. without exploding. the OF
killed three and wounded fourte
,ity Both cruisers attempted to use
ray pedoes, but failed. The sydl
steamed at the rate OF twenty kn