The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-13
SidelightS On the War
BY HARRY J. BURNEY

The fact that Vice Animal Sir Freder-
command of the British fleet which de-
stroyed the German squadron under Ad-
miral Count Won Spec off the Falkland
Islands, is indicative that the Germans
We're overwhelmed by the strength of the
enemy. The British admiralty has been
careful to suppress mention of the vessels
which comprised Sturdee's fleet, and the
newspapers are warned not to speculate,
as other combinations may be effected"
A censorship most irritating to the Eng
fish and which, in some of it's actions,
appears farcical, Is still enforced by the
London government. From time to time
the leading newspapers of England chat
ing under the ridiculous restrictions i'm
posed, have inveighed against the whole
system of suppression, and occasionally
hints have been dropped that more sem
sible arrangement would be adopted, but
so far this has not been DONE
Just few weeks ago Won Spec was the
victor. His squadron met Sir Christopher
Craddocks off the Chilean coast, and the
engagement was disastrous to the British
The English flagship. the Good Hope was
sent to the bottom of the sea, and the
cruiser Monmouth was practically de-
stroyed. Sir Christopher went down with
all others on board his vessel. Now
Count Won Spec has Joined him in the
depths of ocean.
Sir Frederick reports that his casualties
| were trivial. OF the German ships, the
Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Leipzig We're
sunk outright, and it is improbable that
not one of their crews of hundreds were
saved. In the battle off Coronel Won
Specs vessels received no damage. They
got the range of the enemy and the deadly
work Vas done in a few minutes.
1t is hardly possible that the world will
ever again see naval battles like those of
the Nile Lake Erie or Trafalgar, where
the contending vessels fought alongside
Of each other and wherein the victor bled
and suffered with the vanquished. Range
is the essence of modern naval fighting
Commodore Dewey destroyed Morttjo S
fleet in the harbor of Manila with trivial
losses to his own force. Commodore
Schley annihiated the powerful feet
under Cervera off Santiago with one lone
American killed. make for the shore"
seems to be about the only motto for the
raval commander, attacked by superior
| force If he hopes to save his own life
| and the lives of his men. Won Muller
| fought the Sydney as long as he could,
! but he fought as he ran. He knew that
| the little Emden had no possible chance
| of defeating the speedier and more pow
erful Sydney. Very luckily for him. land
| was close at hand. So Won Muller is one
of the few heroes of this war who is a
hero and still alive.
| 1t was no place for the Nurnberg and
the Dresden that December day when the
| South Atlantic echoed the boom of the
| big guns of England and Germany. hey
| We're cripples at Donnybrook, piEmies
phila ndering around finish go among a
| few Titans They sought safety in Eight.
| but it cannot be that they will long ride
| the waves as menaces to the shipping of
/. the British empire. Thew have been To-
Gated, and that is the main point. Their
| capture or destruction would seem as GER
| tain as fate.
There remains the Karlsruhe. Just
where she Is nobody knows except the
/, city editors of the newspapers published
| IN the cities of the Tinted States on the
! Atlantic coast The city editor is positive
! that the karlsruhe is lust outside the bar
of his own particular town waiting to
/, pounre upon any vessel that flies flag
T, not that IF GERMANY, Austria or Turkey.
| Occasionally and oftener. the city editor
hears the sound Of heavy firing at sea.
/ Lo the Karlsruhe has been run to earth
at last. Tt may be the Jean Part OF the
| French. the Agamennon of England the
Tsmail of Russia. the Hizen of Japan or
, II NAV be oil of these or none of ( 'em.
or some of them and not the others or II
| NAV be any other any others of the
ships to be found in the naval registers OF
| any or all of the allied powers. that has
or have chased the Karlsruhe to her hole
| Brt 1t IS always the Karlsruhe that Is
! conducting one end of the battle. Hes. ring
| heavy firing off the coast Is one IF the
| things that the city editors do most easily
And the fine thing about this kind e-f q
naval enactment is that nobody is hurt
not even the reader.
The reports that Emperor William Is IL
caused filir to be given the grain mar