Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-14

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as We knew that war was declared, the
ship had been prepared for battle.
Everything that might be at all in
fiammable was pitched overheard. I'm
der these circumstances, there was
very little left to do when the order
clear ship for action was given.
"Off the port bow, about II or 10
miles away, we could see the Karls-
ruhe and Kronprinz Wilhelm. The
Karlsruhe had her boats out, coaling
from the North German Lloyd ship,
and as we hurried down toward her,
it was in the hope she had run SO
short in her bunkers that We could
catch her.
AS soon as the Germans sighted us,
they took to their heels
The Karlsruhe did not even stop to
pick up her boats, and she hurried
away to the northward, while the
Kronprinz Wilhelm steered off to the
east. We knew, of course, that the
Karlsruhe had the heels of US. Our
only hope was that she was short or
fuel and could not keep up her. steam.
but this hope was fruitless.
Nineteen thousand yards was the
closest we got to our quarry. The Bris-
toll was to the north of us, and the
Berwick to the south. We called ooth
of them by wireless, and ordered them
to aid in the chase, The Berwick tried
to cut off the Kronprtnz Wilhelm,
while the Bristol took position to IN
tercept the Karlsruhe. All afternoon
we raced after the fleeing German.
By 8 o'clock her smoke had disap-
peared. and then all our hopes CEN
tered in the Bristol picking her up.
"At 8 o'clock that night the wei
come news came through the air TO US
from the Bristol: Enemy in sight A
few minutes later came the message,
we are engaging the enemy
Although we must have been ful-
" a hundred miles astern by then,
we raced on for all we were worth,
We had No fear of the result II the
German stood up to the Bristol, Tor
we were all sure our fellows could
whip the Karlsruhe easily at close
quarters, but we wanted to be in at
the finish ourselves.
1.-THE Karlsruhe had the heels of the
Bristol too. They were in action for
Just about half an hour For few
minutes the German stood up and the
ships fought broadside to broadside,
the Bristol using her two S-inchers
and the five 4-inchers on her broad
side against the Germans FIVE APPOINT
ones. After a few minutes, however,
the Karlsruhe turned and ran. The
Bristol chased her, firing her forward
slx-inchers.
ut was difficult to make anything
like good practice. 1t was pitch dark
and the sea was heavy. Not one or
the German shells landed anywhere
near the Bristol, but our chaps think
they got some shots aboard the Karls-
ruhe. However, in long range fighting
under those conditions. it is pretty diff
ficult to do much and the Karlsruhe's
speed saved her again.
1.-THE Suffolk, Berwick and Bristol
cruised together for several days, but
could get no trace OF the Karlsruhe
or her consort, and finally we heard
that she had put into Porto Rico for
coal.
I'VE got prize last Saturday morn
ing off Bermuda-the German oil
tanker Leda, which was coming up
from Baton Rouge for New York. She
did not know that war had been de-
clared and was very much surprised
when we ordered her to stop with a
blank shot across her bows. How
ever. they took their capture with very
good grace. We put prize crew
aboard and conveyed her to Bermuda,
| where we turned her over to the ex-
animation service and continued our
| voyage north"