The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-12-30

by unnoticed. Finally, just before
a. M, it came to a close, but, owing
to the fact that our going home at
that hour of the morning would
mean a ricksha ride Of over two
miles, the captain stretched a point
and invited US to remain on board,
which we did. Little did we know
what our decision was to mean to US.
cat 5:25 the next morning, just
as day was breaking, was awakened
by a deafeIhS crash, followed by
two others in rapid succession. With
out waiting for more I pulled my
ducks over my pajamas and hurried
on deck. Right before US, at the en-
trance to the inner harbor, lay the
Russian cruiser Jemtchug. Steam
ing toward her at full speed came the
German cruiser Emden, her bow guns
belching forth vast cliuds OF smoke,
through which the fash Of the guns
could just be distinguished. She was
less than half a mile away. After
what seemed to me an interminable
delay, the surprised Jemtchug start
ed to reply with her small guns, and
the din grew greater and greater.
AS the Emden came on she swerV-
ed slightly out of her course and
steamed down the far side Of the
Channel, thus bringing her broad
side guns to bear on the Jemtchug,
which by this time was literally spit
ting fire. The range now was less
than 800 yards, and the execution
being done must have been terrible
We noticed that the greater portion
of the Russian shells were carrying
over
Wouldn't Fire on Merchantmen.
"The Emden now changed heI
course again, to the right, and dis
appeared behind a group Of several
tramp steamers, so as to enable mel
to turn around without unduly expos
ing herself. While she was doing
this the firing diminished greatly, oW.
ing to the disinclination on the part
of either, imagne, wantonly to dam
age harmless merchant vessels. Nc
sooner had she started on her way
out of the harbor, however, than the
din arose once more.
Gust at this time the French tor
pedo boat Fronde dropped back from
her position alongside US and started
in to take part in the melee with
machine gun. This caused the EN-
den to devote part of her time to US
and we were made the objective OF {
severe machine gun fire, which, oWlns
to our position in the shadow Of thu
pier and of the fact that the ligh
VISA very poor, did little or no dam
age. Nevertheless, it was rather dis
concerting, to hear the rattle Of leat
on the corrugated iron sheds behint
US.
"By this time the Emden mus
have realized that at such close quar-
ters she was subject to the danger o
torpedo attack, (although as
matter of fact no effort seemed tt
have been made along these lines)
and she accordingly started up th'
north channel toward the outer har
Dor at full speed, firing broadsid
after broadside at the Jemtchug, nov
badly crippled.
The Jemtchug Torpedoed.
Suddenly, as the two cruiser
were abreast and no more than 15'
yards from one another, there was
tremendous crash. The JemtchuI
heaved up amidships, there was an
| other detonation even louder thai
the first, and she sank before coul'
realize what had happened. All tina
remained was a large pillar of smok
to mark the spot where she had been
| A German torpedo had found it
mark, and the Emden sailed aroun
the point without firing another shot
.sBy this time-less than thirt
minutes after the first shot had beel
fred-the Pistolet had cast off an
we started across the harbor towar
the place where we had last seen tn
Jemtchug, with the Fronde close be
hind US. It was slow work, as "
had very little steam.
"As we neared the scene Of tn
disaster I received my first impres
sion Of the horror of modern nava
warfare. The water was strewn wit
wreckage, among, which. heads wer
popping up and down like corks in
lilly pond. It seemed as If It wer
alive with men. They were every
| where, hanging on to pieces OF wooo
| clutching life preservers, clinging t
| debris Of all kinds.
"While the last few men were TAX
en- of the Pistolet, another cannon
| aiding was heard. I hurried ashore
with no feeling of regret I Nigh
say, and took a ricksha to the QUITE
sea wall to see whatever fighting wa
| going on. The ships were so ia
away that it was hard to tell wit!
the naked eye exactly what was go
! ing on. We could see the little tor
pedo boat Mosquet trying to get be
yond the range Of the Emden's gun
while the shells were throwing u
water all around her. The chas
had kept on for twenty minutes
should say, when we saw the littl
| craft sink by the bow. The Emdel
lowered boats to pick up any possibl
survivors, but from the short tin
they were down, I imagine most o
the crew were lost.
"I have tried to give you som
little idea in the foregoing Of tn
frightful encounter I have witnessed
It seemed like a nightmare after
wards, although while it was actual
ly going on you felt as if you wer'
looking at a sham battle. Evel
when the bullets started in to rattl
on the iron-covered sheds above ou
heads there was nothing terrifying
about it. After the effect Of the frs
few shots had worn or felt as If
were watching a play. That quiet
staid Penang with her shaded streets
and sampan covered harbor shoult
be the scene of a naval engagement
such as l witnessed to-day is almos
unbelievable. Yet the sordid aftel
effects are before our eyes.
"Only the mastery manoeuvring o.
that gentleman of the German fleet
the captain of the Emden-preventec
the city from being the scene OF
+nr,;t,1o 40 r,ooo uic rof11ca1 RI sin I