Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-28
fBy Latest MALL

LONDON.-The most striking expert
eBee in the naval battle off Heligoland
was that of the destroyer Laurel, which
led the division of four destroyers sent
ahead by the British fleet to lure the
Germans out. .--.=.
When the destroyer division, led by
the Laurel, turned about to face the
oncoming German destroyers it not only
found itself unsupported by the cruisers
but saw coming out of the haze the
light cruisers of the enemy.
Nothing daunted, the division opened
Gre. The Laurel, which was in an in
side berth, for some time had to face
the fire of one cruiser and two destroy
ers. The men engaged. made light OF
the German craftsmanship, declaring
that they ought to have been sent
speedily to the bottom.
The first shell which hit the Laurel
found its way to the engine room, kill
irg four men. The second struck the
forward gun, jamming the charge
which was Just about to be fired and
killing three men. The third shot to
strike seriously wounded Commander
urged by his men to go below, he shift
ed his weight onto the other leg and
continued to issue his orders as though
nothing had happened.
Commander Fights Until Unconscious.
All this time the Laurel was making
it desperately uncomfortable for the
two destroyers with which she was en-
gagged, one of which shortly afterward
went to the bottom, and was giving as
good as she was getting from the
cruiser as well.
A piece of the fourth shell struck
the commander on the sound leg and
brought him down on the bridge, but
he still declined to give way, though
his signal man insisted on tearing off
his trousers to prevent his wounds from
being poisoned. He continued to fight
his ship until he lost consciousness.
As he lay unconscious on the bridge,
one of the petty officers fastened ten
derby a life belt around him, for by this
time only three rounds of ammunition
remained, and though the British cruis-
ers had appeared on the scene it APP
pcared impossible that the Laurel could
live much longer in the fire to which
she was exposed.
A final shell struck amidships, en-
seloping her in dense cloud Of dust
and smoke and all on board were Ger.
tain that she was going to the bottom.
That last shot, however, was to prove
her salvation, for dense cloud hung
tn her as she lay helpless on the water,
and though it was split in all direc-
tions by the enemy's projectiles, not
one succeeded in finding her.
Goodbye, old man. said blue
jacket bleeding to death on the fore
castle, to his mate stretched on the
deck beside him.
my time is up, too, replied the
other calmly, reaching out a hand to
him, and with that handclasp they died.
A statement was made today by the
naval expert of the London Times that
a German naval. officer deliberately
slot German sailors who were strug.
Cling in the water after the battle,
rather than see them taken prisoners
by the English. Another story in the
London Express says 30 German sea-
men on one of the sinking cruisers cut
their threats to escape capture.
The sailors of both the English and
German fleets who so bravely died,
were buried today at Shottley bar
racks. British and German flags were
draped in mourning over the 30 cof-