Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-10
ADMTRALS STURDEE
AND YON SPEC BOTH
NOTED COMMANDERS
British Victor in South At
lantic Sea Fight Veteran of
Egyptian Campaign Won
Spec, Able German Strate-
gi8t.

Vice Admiral Sir Frederick Charles
Doveton Sturdce, Commander-in-Chlef
Of the British squadron which has crush
ed the German feet near the Falkland
Islands, is a veteran OF the Egyptian
campaign of 80 years ago, and considered
one OF the ablest officers of the Royal
British Navy. Until a few years ago
he was assistant director Of the lmpor-
tant Naval Intelligence Department Of the
Admiralty at whitehall. London. His
rise TO commander of the second cruiser
squadron, to which post he was APP
pointed in 1912, was rapid and was mark
ed by service which brought forth favor
able comment on the part of his supe-
rlors on several occasions and twice won
him the gold medal of the Royal United
Service Institution. He was appointed
rear admiral In comr and of the first bat
Ito squadron in 1910, and In 1912 received
the post he now holds.
Vice Admiral Sturdee was born on June
g. 1852 He entered the navy in loT1, and
his first important war service was In
the famous Egyptian campaign OF 1882,
as a result Of which he wears the Egyp-
tian medal, with the Alexandria clasp,
for his services in the bombardment OF
Alexandria and for the same service he
wears the Khedive's big star. After his
return to England from that campaign,
In 1889. he was married to Miss Marion
Adela Andrews.
In 1893 Admiral Sturdee was detailed as
assistant to the Director OF Naval Ord
nance, and in 1899 he was promoted to
be a captain. In the same year he COM
manded the British force which landed In
Samoa, and his service In the Samoan
campaign won him another decoration.
He is a member of the United Service
Club of London, and his home is at Dali
keith Cottage, Intes Green. England.
Admiral Won Spee commander of the
German cruisers in the engagement with
the British squadron was noted as
naval strategist and was said to have
played an important part in drawing up
the German naval plans which went into
effect automatically at the outbreak OF
the war, and enabled German cruisers
which were widely scattered over the
Pacific to come together in spite OF the
fact that their communication with Ber-
lin had been cut off, and 1t was impos-
sible for their commanders to receive or
ders from headquarters.
While the details of the plan are un-
known, of course. it is said that each
commander had been supplied with
sealed map of the world when the plan
was drawn up several years ago, and that
on each map were tiny dots in various
parts of the Pacific to which the COM
manders were to steam with all speed
the moment war was declared,
On their return to the dots that indl-
Gated the place they would be Joined by
other warships. 1t is said. the cruisers
were TO meet merchantmen at specified
points to receive coal and provisions,
making 1t unnecessary for them to put
into any port until they had been Joined
by enough lighting ships to make their
power formidable.
The carrying out of this plan made it
possible for the German squadron consist
ing OF the Scharnhorst. Gnelsenau and
Leipzig under the command OF Won Spec,
to meet and defeat the British squadron
consisting OF the cruisers Monmouth,
Good HOpeaa Glasgow and the trans
port Otranto under Rear Admiral Grad
ock OF the Chillan coast on November l.