The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-11-11
DESCRIBE SEA Fight
HOSTILE sQUADRORS MEET EleH
Other UNEXPECTEDLY
Fought IN HEAVY GALE
German Fleet Heads English Fleet
From Neutral Shore and In Rising
Seas Destroy Leading ships-Brit-
ish Flag Ship Could Not Use Big
{Suns Yo,. Storm -

A wireless cry from the British
cruiser Glasgow-intercepted by the
German Victors-was the last word
received from Read Admiral Cra-
docks squadron after the engage
ment off the Chilean coast Sunday.
The Germans saw the Monmouth
sink and heard an explosion on board
the Good Hope that they believe sent
the crippled flagship to the bottom.
All that night the German cruiser
Nurnberg searched the seas urspc-
cessfully for the Good Hope. They
picked up radiogram directed to the
flagship by the Glasgow. There was
no reply.
There were about $50 men on the
Monmouth when she disappeared be-
meath the waves. Admiral Cradock
had 900 men with him on the Good
Hope. Whether the Glasgow and the
transport Otranto, which fed with
her, survived Is not known. The
whereabouts Of the German cruisers
Leipsi2 and Bremen also remains In
doubt.
Further details of the battle be-
came known from statements made
by. Germans officers. They commend
ed the bravery Of the Britishers In
the uneven combat ard intimated that
an effort to save lives would have
been made if the weather had per-
| mitted.
The engagement was fought In the
teeth of. the norther that assumed
almost hurricane proportions. Small
boats could not live in the sea. The
| heavy weather initiated against the
larger ships and the Good Hope
found her guns almost useless be-:
cause Of the ships roll.
The German China fleet, the cruis-:
ers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and the:
Nurnberg, had rejoined the Leipzig
and Bremen, which had been detach-
led to patrol the coast north of Vaks
paraiso. The unit proceeded south
ward, apparently well aware of the;
rendezvous Of the British c q. Concep-
cion Bay. At the same time the Mon
mouth and Glasgow, accompanied BY;
the transport Otranto, were moving
north to meet the flagship Good Hope,
evidently unaware of the proximity Of
the Germans. They met off CoroneS
It was 6 o'clock Sunday night;
when the Germans sighted the three
British ships. The latter attempted
to alter their course, evidently in.
tending to approach the coast and
gain territorial waters, and so avos
an unequal match. The Germans
nwovar hnodoS fhor, nfY
At the moment the German guns
were trained the Good Hope was seen
coming at full speed. Through good
seamanship she managed to join the
other British ships. The Britishers
had come about and the two squad
rons sailed southwark in parelleE
lines with the Germans nearer the
coast.
I Gradually the two lines drew to-
gether. The Scharnhorst and Gneise-.
nau simultaneously let go their
twelve 8-inch guns at the Good Hope.
For several minutes the German
shots fell short and the Good Hope
had such roll she could not reply.
The smaller cruisers were far out OF
range.
Then the sea fighters drew in near
er. When the two units were but
5000 yards apart the Good Eope
fred her two 9-inch guns. She still
was unable to use her eigss,t 6-inch
guns, which on the gun deck were so
near the water line that the vessel
rolled until they were almost awash.
A terrible broadside from the Scharn-
horst and Gneisenau crippled the
British flagship and her engines stop
ped.
The Monmouth made dash to
! cover the Good Eope, but the Ger
mans immediately brought into &C
tion all the guns of their five vessels.
There were directed first against the
Monmouth, Glasgow and: Otranto.
The Otranto, badly damaged, escaped
| In the gathering darkness. Soon
! afterwards she was followed by the
Glasgow, which also had been put out
Of action, but continued apparently
| seaworthy. -
The FIVE German ships continued
their attack on the Monmouth and
the Good Hope, and a few minutes
later the former sank. By this time
only $500 yards separated the fight
| ers.
The Good Hope, badly damaged.
hung on until an explosion occurred
on board her. She withdrew to the
westeward at 1880 o'clock. AS she
disappeared flames were seen on
| board her. Whether the fire was
stopped or she went to the bottom Is
not known, but the flames dropped
down and she was not seen again.
The Nurnberg searched until day
break for the wounded ship, when
she had been lost, with all her crew.
Contrary to first reports, the Glas-
cow did not reach Coronel or Talca-
tuano, nor did the Otranto find q
Chilean port. The German feet, with
the exception of the Leipzig and
Bremen, put in and sailed again. II
they had any word of the Leipzig a1d
1 D,o-ooof 4bov Iid not mako II known