The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-10

Malacca straits. 1t was here that the
Emden performed her most daring feat.
A fourth smokestack was rugged on
her deck and Japanese flag run up.
Thus disguised. she steamed boldly
into the harbor, passing unchallenged
under the British guns of the fort, and
fired torpedoes which sank the Russian
cruiser Jemtchug and a French de-
strOyer.
Vessels Worth $4,000, 900.
Then she took to her heels and es-
capped unscathed through the straits.
The vessels destroyed by the Emden
had total value of about 81, 000, 900 ex-
elusive of their cargoes.
The Emden's largest guns were only
Al inch. OF these she had ten. Her
speed of 24.5 knots was her greatest as
set, as she was able to run down mer-
chant ships with ease and then escape
from larger but slower vessels that
pursued her. British, Russian, French
and japanese war vessels in the east
had been attempting for weeks to put
an end to her career. It has been
more or less of a mystery to naval men
how the Emden has been able to keep
at sea month after month without run
ming short of coal and supplies. It is
assumed that she has obtained suf-
ficient food and fuel to meet her needs
from captured ships. In at least two
instances this is known to have been
done.
/ The captain of the British steamer
Exford, captured by the Linden in the
that the commander of the Emden
said that before he sank the Exford
he intended to take on board his
cruiser the 1000 tons of coal with
which the Exford was laden.
The first report of the activity OF
the Emden was received August 8,
when she was said to have been sunk
in action with the Russian cruiser
Askold off Wei-Hai-Wei. This was
contradicted a few days later when
sunk the steamer City Of Winchester
on August 5, and steaming into the
Bay OF Bengal five days later, had sent
two more British vessels to the bot
tom. Within three days she had sunk
four vessels. There she was accom-.
panied by the Hamburg-Americar
steamer Markomannfa as a collier. The
Markomannia was sunk October 16 of
Sumatra by a British cruiser.
Shelled a City.
:. Leaving the Bay of Bengal, the
Emden sank three British steamers in
the Indian ocean on September IA, Or
September %, she appeared off Madra.
and shelled the city, extinguished hel
lights and disappearing when the fort
tivity in the vicinity of Rangoon
where more British vessels fell prey
to her. Again she disappeared and
was not heard from until she turned
up at Penang. The captain Of tn,
steamer Parom put into Sydney yes
terday and reported that after tn,
success Of the Euiden at Penang sht
was overtaken by 4 British cruiser, bu
being the faster, was able to escape
Two store ships accompanying he
! were left behind and the British cruis
er captured one AM sank the other.
The Emden was a sister ship of tn,
cruiser Dresden which participated IL
the naval battle off the coast Of Chile
November 1, when the British squad
ron under command of Rear Admira
! Sir Christopher Crsdock was defeated
The Emden had i complement Of Sc.
men. Her armament consisted Of tel
4-inch guns eight h-pounders and foul
machine guns. she was also equipped
with two submerged 1T inch torped.
tubes. The cruiser displaced $500
tons. was 387 feet long and had a beam
Of 43h feet. She was laid down a
Dantzig in 1906 and completed in May
1Q0Q