Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-17
GORDON OF SHIPS
FAILS. TO PROTECT
SOIL OF BRITAIN
Shower of Shells Hurled
Into Scarborough, Har-
tlepOol and Whitby.
MANY PERSONS KILLED
AND PROPERTY DAMAGED
Invaders, Attacked by Defending
Flotilla, Take to Heels and
Disappear in Mist.
VESSELS REPORTED SUNK
Uncon1rmeI Dispatches Say Two
/ German Vessels Are Sent
to Bottom.
REPORTED SUNK
VESSELS
unconiirmed Dispatches Say Two
German Vessels Are Sent
to Bottom.

LONDON. December 16.-For the first
time in centuries England has been
struck by foreign foe A squadron OF
swift German cruisers crcpt through
the fog last night to the eastern coast
and turned It's guns against the
Britons
When day broke they began bonn
narhinent of three important towns
sinruepool. at the mouth of the Tees:
Whitby. thirty-hve miles southwark
and Scarborough, noted as a pleasure
resort. fifteen miles beyond
Hartlepool suffered most. There two
battle cruisers and an armored cruiser
were engaged. The British War Office
fixes the number of dead at Hartlepool
as seven soldiers and twenty two civil
ians and the wounded at fourteen SOL
diers and fifty civilians At Scar
| borough. shelled by battle cruiser
and an armored cruiser, thirteen cas-
ualties are reported while, at Whitby
two were killed and two wounded
Men. women and children of the civil
ian population were left dead or
wounded, struck without warning whilo
at work. In NIL, the casualty lists
totals 10. according to the official es-
Inmates, of whom thirty-on are known
| to be dead.
At Hartlapool chruches were dam
! aged and the gas works and lumber,
yards were set nfre, while the nbbe,-
ut Whitby was struck. The Ralmoral
hotel at Scarborough received the full
erect of shell a number OF houses
and shops were shattered and par,ly
burned in each of the towns
The hostile squadron escaped in the
mist after an encounter with coast
guard vessels
The official account OF ne attack. as
ISSUED by the press bureau with more
complete details from the War Office
follows:
LONDON ADMITS ESCAPE
OF ATTACKING FLEET
This morning German cruiser
force made demonstration upon tho
Yorkshire coast In the course of which
they shelled Hartlepool. Whltby and
Scarborough
~ number of their fastest ships
We're EMPLOYED for this purpose and
'he' renamed about an hour on the
coast
They Were engaged by patrol yos-
sells on the spot. AS soon as the pres
ence of the enemy was reported
british patrolling squadron endeavore1
| to cut them off. On being sighted bv
the British vessels. the Germans re.
tired at full speed and. favored by the
mist. made their escape
me losses on both sides are small
hut full reports have not yet been re.
ceived
The Admiralty takes the oppor-
tnnity OF pointing out that demonstra-
lions or this character, against nm
iortihed towns or commercial ports
though not difficult to accomplish, pro.
'ldcd certain amount Of risk Is ac-
Cance.
fhey may cause some loss of life
among the civilian population ana
some damage to private propertv
which is much to be regretted hut they
must not in any circumstances be nj,
poncS which is being pursued
BATTERIES ARE; REPORTED
TO HAVE DAMAGED SHIPS
The land batteries replied, and are
reported TO have hit and damaged the
enemy.
At $50 the firing ceased. and the
enemy steamed away. None OF our
guns was touched. One shell fell In tho
Royal Engineers lines. and several in
the lines OF the Eighteenth Servic,
Bataiiion of the Durham Light In
fantry.
The casualties among tho troops
amounted to seven killed and four
teen wounded
some damage was done to the town.
ana the gas works were set on fire
During the bombardment especially
In West Hartlepool. the people crowded
in the streets. and approximatslv
twenty-five were killed and ffty
wounded.
AZ the same time. hattie cruiser
ana an armored cruiser appeared off
scarborough and fred about iifty shots,
which caused considerable damage. and
thirteen casualties are reported.
AZ Whitby two battle cruisers fred
shots doing damage TO buildings, and
inc Following casualties are reported:
TWO killed. two wounded
At all three places there was an
entire absence of panic. and the de-
mcanor of the people was everything
that could be desired"
WAVE OF INTENSE ANGER
SPREADS OVER ENGLAND
y wave OF intense anger has spread
over England because OF the attack.
Bitter dcnunciation Is heard every
where of policy which permits shelf
Ing of undefended towns. The fortress
at the mouth of the Tees Is supposed
TO give some protection to the i'm.
portant shipping base OF IIartlepooJ,
out Whitby and Scarborough are open
TO :he enemy as Is Atlantic City on the
New Jersey Coast
Scarborough, with it's old castle ON
high HILL the big casino with n high
tower and the row OF pretentious ho-