The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-12-18
ENGLISH COAST bonn
BARDED BY GER
MANS
MANY CITIZENS KILLED BUILDINGS
STRUCK AND DAMAGED ALLIES
STILL GAINING RUSSIA RETIRING.

London, Dec. 16.-A German feet
made a. sudden dash into the North
sea today and shelled Scarborough,
Whitby and Hartlepool, English coast
towns.
British flotillas have been engaged
with the enemy at several points, and
the situation was described by the ad-
miralty as developing.
At LAS D. m, statement given out
by the official information bureau said
that the German warships were driven
off by the West Hartlepool fortress.
The report said:
The fortress commander at West
Hartlepool reports that German war
vessels engaged that fortress between
g and O'Clock this morning. The
enemy was driven off. A small Ger
man war vessel also opened fire on
Scarborough and Whitby."
The Yorkshire Evening News this
afternoon reports that two German
cruisers were sunk i'm the engagement
and that the British fiotilla was dam
aged.
The Newcastle Evening Chronicle
places the number of German cruisers
which bombarded Hartlepool at three.
]
tackled almost Immediately by four
British destroyers. Several entire
rows Of houses at Hartlepool were
destroyed and the gas works were
seriously damaged, the newspaper
says.
Four German cruisers appeared on
Scarborough at an early hour and
began to lombard the town. 1t il ap-
parent that they had no difficulty in
dropping shells into the city. Panic
seized the people, and many Of them
| fled from their homes. One or two
vessels shelled Whitby.
l The residents of Hartlepool were
aroused from their sleep by the sound
of heavy gun-firing. They fiocked to
the streets and thence to the beach to
learn what was going on. In a few
moments shells from German cruisers
began dropping into the city, where
upon the crowd broke for shelter
Panic also showed itself at this point
and many of them abandoned their
homes and fled inland.
The news of this naval raid was an
nounced by the British Admiralty
shortly before 11.30 o'clock this morn.
lnSy n4i ~ I'LL Wv l1OliuOh LAIO LhS
greatest state Of excitement that has
prevailed since the outbreak of the
war.
The bombardment of the cities OF
the east coast OF England BY German
cruisers is the first overt act of tht
war against British territory. The
British people have felt that theil
fleet in the North sea was sufficient tx
render this possibility very remote.
The bombardment of Hartlepool ant
Scarborough would indicate that the
Germans have considerable liberty o.
action.
N Great excitement prevailed ir
Lloyd's underwriting room when the
announcement of the German nava
raid was posted on the bulletin boards
The members crowded around anC
eagerly read the notice. Insurance
rates, SO far as the North Sea is con.
cerned, have been practically suspend
ed pending the receipt of definite new;
of the result of the engagement.
At the Baltic Exchange the news
was read most eagerly by the mem
bers, and was the chief topic Of con,
lversation all through the afternoon.
Yesterdays Report.
The French and English people are
disappointed over the Russians fail
ure to prove serious menace to Ger
man territory.
The Allies continue on the often
sive in the west and there has beer
more heavy fighting in Flanders.
N Great Britain established a protec-
torate over Egypt, ending Turkeys
suzerainty.
Fifty-four per cent Of the French
wounded returned to the firing line
before December 12.
The steamer Derentie Of the Ger.
man Levantine Line, was sunk by Q
Russian warship.
The Austrian training ship Bee,
thoven was blown up by mine and
all the crew and naval cadets aboard
perished.