The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-09-15

the naval engagement OH delgOldno,
in which British vessels sank five Ger
man ships and killed 900 men, has
reached here in letter to relatives
from a young lieutenant who was on
one of the British torpedo boat de
stroyers. 1t reads:
"As to our fight of Heligoland,
think the home papers are magnify
ing what really was but an affair OF
outposts. We destroyers went in and
lured the enemy out and had lots OF
excitement. The big fellows then came
up and afforded some excellent target
practice, and we were very glad to see
them come; but you ought not to con-
slider that we had q fight, because 1t
was massacre not a fight.
Just a Case of Bombardment.
There was superb generalship and
overwhelming forces on the spot, but
there was really nothing for them to
do except to shoot the enemy, even as
pa shoots pheasants.
Have you ever noticed dog rush
in On a flock Of sheep and scatter
them? He goes for the nearest and
barks and goes so much faster than
the flock that it punches up with its
companions. The dog then barks at
another and the sheep spread out fan
wise, so in front of the dog there is a
semi-circle of sheep and behind him
none.
Tells Of the Battle.
THAT was much what we did at Z
a. m on August %. The sheep were
the German torpedo craft, which fell
back on the limits of our range and
tried to lure US within the fire of the
Helgoland forts. But a cruiser then
came out and engaged our Arethusa
| and they had real heart to heart talk,
while we looked on, and few of us
| tried to shoot at the enemy, too,
though it was beyond our distance.
I'VE were getting nearer Helgoland
| all the time. There was a thick mist
and expected every minute to find
the forts OF the island bombarding us
so the Arethusa presently drew off,
| after landing at least one good shell
on the enemy. The enemy gave every
| bit as good as he got there.
I'VE then reformed, but strong de-
stroyer belonging to the submarines
got chased, and the Arethusa and
Fearless went back to look after 1t
| We presently heard hot action
astern, so the captain, in command OF
the fotilla turned us around and we
went back to help. But they had driven
the enemy off and on our arrival told
us to form up on the Arethusa.
Cruiser Fires on Ships.
when we had partly formed anG
were very much punched together
making a fine target, suddenly out o.
the mist arrived five or six shells from
point not $50 yards away. We gazet
ct whence they came and again five o.
six stabs of fire pierced the fog. ant
we made out a four funneled German
cruiser of the Breslau class.
Those stabs were its guns going
of. We waited Is seconds and the
shots and noise of it's guns arrived
pretty well from so yards away, It
next salvo of shots went above US, ant
ducked as they whirred overhead
like covey of fast cartridges.
You would suppose our captain hat
done this sort of thing all his life. HI
4 went full speed ahead at once, upol
the first salvo, to string the bunch gu
and thus offer less target. The com
modore from the Arethusa made sig
nal to US to attack with torpedoes. 81
we swung round at right angles AM
charged full speed at the enemy lik
an hussar attack.
Catches Debris From Shells.
Our boat got away at the start mag
nificently and led the field, so all tn
enemys firing was aimed at us for tn
next ten minutes, when we got so clos
that debris from their shells fell OF
board. Then we altered our course ant
so threw them out in their reckoning o
our speed and they had all their worl
to do over again.
Humanity speaking, our captain b,
twisting and turning at psychological
moments saved US. Actually, l fee
that we were in Gods keeping tina
day. After ten minutes we got nea
enough to fire our torpedo. Then w
turned back to the Arethusa. Mex
our follower arrived just where W
had been and fired it's torpedo, and o
course the enemy fired at it instea
of u.s. What blessed relief.
After the destroyers came tn
Fearless, and it stayed on the scene
Soon we found it was engaging tire
funneler, the Mainz, so off we starte'
again, now for the Mainz, the situa
ton being that the crippled Arethus
was too tubby to do anything but b
defended by US, it's children.
Draw Fire Of the Enemy.
Scarcely, however, had we started
when, from out of the mist and acros
our front, in furious pursuit came tn
first cruiser squadron of the tow
class, the Birmingham, and each uni
a match for three like the Mainz. A
we looked and reduced speed the
opened fire, and the clear bangban
ST. PETERSBURG NOW
tc NkIlEO pETR0ERAI