The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-16
They Approach Under Cover OF
q Misty Night.
Throw Shells Into Scarborough,
Whitby and HartlepOOl.
BRITISH NAVAL FlOT|LLA
Engages the Invaders and
Shore Fort Returns Fire.
Fifty Shells Fall in the Town
of Scarborough.
NUMBER HOUSES DESTROYED
NUMBER HOUSES DESTROYED
Also BalmOral Hotel, Railway
Station and q Church.
Gas Works and Lumber Yard
Are Set on Fire.

The eastern coast of England
was raided today by German
warships which dropped shells
in several towns along a 40 mile
strip of coast. Considerable
damage was done in Scarbor-
ough, Whitby and Hartlepool
and it is reported that several
persons were killed or wounded.
The German raid apparently was
performed by a few fast cruisers
and so far as is known the main
British and German fleets were
not engaged. London has a re-
port that two German warships
were sunk. The British admiral
ty states that naval encounters
were in progress but details as
to the size of the engagement
and the outcome were lacking.
London. Dec. 16.-For the first time
in modern history English towns have
suffered from the attack of a foreign
enemy
A German squadron the size of which
is notNyet known. crept up on the
northeast coast of England during
misty night. When the fog cleared be-
tween and O'Clock this morning the
vessels of this squadron opened fire on
the towns Of Scarborough Whitby and
Hartlepool. A distance of about 40
miles separated the first named ports.
The British flotillas engaged these in
Of RritiSh and the for
tress of West Hartlepool off the mouth
Of the river Tees fired upon the en-
emy.
The official reports do not set forth
the number of the attacking force. nor
do they say whether the seacoast towns
were fired upon simultaneously or one
after another. The unofficial reports
reaching London by telephone were
confused and probably exaggerated.
An eyewitness at the seaside resort
of Scarborough estimates that fifty
shells landed in the town destroying
the Balmoral hotel. a number of houses
and railway station. One of the OBJ
jectives of the attack was st. Martins
church which was damaged. A woman
behind the counter of shop was
killed and her husband was wounded.
Messages from Hartlepool say the
local gas works and the lumber yards
were set afire by the shells Of the Ger
man ships. The estimate of the casu-
alties at Hartlepool. nine people killed.
probably is guess work and greatly
exaggerated.
Tive German warships threw thirty
shells into Whitby and wrecked sew
eral houses, according to a message
from that place and one civilian resi-
dent of Whitby died of wound re-
ceived during the bombardment. The
sound of the German guns was heard
at towns as far inland as twenty miles,
according to some reports
People from Scarborough. aroused
from their sleep by the German shells
hurried in droves to the railroad sta
ton and boarded the first train for
Hull where they circulated alarmist
stories as to what was happening on the
coast.
Four German Cruisers.
Four German cruisers appeared off
Scarborough at an early hour and be-
gan to lombard the town.
1t is apparent that they had no diff
ficulty in dropping shells into the city.
Panic seized the people and many of
them fled from their homes.
The residents of Hartlepool were
aroused from their sleep by the sound
of heavy gun fire. They flocked to
the streets and thence made their way
to the beach to learn what was going
on. In few moments shells from
German cruisers began dropping into
Hartlepool, whereupon the crowd
along the shore broke fo, shelter.
Panic also showed itself at this point.
Fear took possession of the people and
many of them abandoned their homes
and fled inland.
The news of this naval raid was
announced by the British admiralty
shortly before 1880 O'Clock this morn
ing and it threw London into the
greatest state of excitement that has
prevailed since the outbreak of the
war The preliminary announcement
of the admiralty made no mention OF
the damage to Scarborough, which is
fashionable sea resort on the North
sea. 81 miles northeast of York and a
little over 200 miles from London, OF
to Hartlepool. an important shipping
center about 40 miles northwest OF
Scarborough.
British flotillaS have been engaged
with the enemy at several points, and
at noon the situation was described by
the admiralty as developing"
1t could not be ascertained at first
whether this German attack was de.
signed merely to spread panic amone
the British people or whether its pur.
pose was to engage the British flee,
in a general action. or to act as ar
escort in an attempt to land troop.
on the British coast
Neither Scarborough nor Hartlepoo