The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-12-18
GERMAN SHIPS FIRE
UPON THREE TOWNS
FIRST IN CENTURIES HOSTILE
GUNS ROAR OFF BRITISH COASTS
Hartlepoci, Maritime Base, Scarbor-
Ough, Summer Resort, and Whit
by Suffer Considerable Damage

London, Dec 16.-t5or the first time
in centuries England has been struck
by foreign foe A squadron Of
swift German cruisers crept through
the fog last night to the eastern coast
and turned their guns against the
Britons.
When day broke they began bonn
bardment Of three important towns
Hartlepool, at the mouth Of the Tees,
Whitby, 81 miles sout1ward, and
Scarborough, noted as pleasure re-
sort, Is miles beyond.
Hartlepool suffered most. There
TWO battle curisers and an armored
cruiser were engaged. The British
war office fixes the number O. dead
at Hartlepcol as seven soldiers and
% civilians and the wounded at II
soldiers and so civilians
At Scarborough, snelled by a bat
tie cruiser and an armored cruiser, y
casualties are reported, while at
Whitby two were killed and two
wounded
Over Hundred Casualties.
Men, Women and children of the
civilian population were left dead or
wounded, struck without warning
while at work. In all the casualties
list totals 10, according to the Off
cial estimates, of whom 81 are known
to be dead.
At Hartlepool churches were dam
aged and the gas works and lumber
Yards were set afire, wl-dle at Wh1tby
the abbey was struck. Tae Balmorai
hotel at Scarborough received the full
effects of a shell. A number Of
houses and shops were shattered and
partly burned in each of t2e towns.
The hostile squadron escaped in tee
mist after an encounter with coast
guard vessels.
The official account of the attack,
as issued> by the press bureau, fol-
lows:
'This morning German cruiser
force made a demonstration upon the
Yorkshire coast in the course of whlca
they shelled Hartlepool, Whitby and
Scarborough.
"a number of t2eir fastest ships
were employed cor this purpose and
they remainded about an hour on the
coast.
''They were engaged by patrol YES
sells on the spot. AS soon as the pres
ence of tie enemX was reported
British patroling squadron endeavored
to cut them off. On being sighted by
the British vessels, the German re-
tired at full speed and favored by tn
mist made t.eir escape.
'HThe losses On both sides are small.
but full reports have not yet been
received
''Tae admiralty takes the opportu-
nifty of pointing out that demonstra-
tions of this c>arcter, against unfor~
titled towns or commercial ports,
though not difficult to accomplish,
provided certain amount of risk is
accepted, are devoid Of military sig
nIficance
'eThey may cause some loss Of hfe
among civilian population and scme
damage to property, which is much
to be regretted, but they must not IN
any circumstances be allowed to
modify the general naval policy which
IS being pursued
The war office statement follows:
"At s a. M today three enemy
ships were sighted off Hartlepool and
at S;15 they commenced a lombard
ment. D3ese ships appeared to be
two battle cruisers and one armored
cruiser. The land batteries replied
and are reported to have hit and
damaged the enemy.
At $50 the firing ceased and the
enemy steamed away None Of our
guns was touched One shell fell in
the Royal Engineers lines and several
in tie lines of the Eighteenth service
battalion O tn Durham Light In
fantry.
'The casualties among the troops
amounted to seven killed and 4
wounded.
"Some damage vas done to the