The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-12-11
THREE GERMAN CRUISERS
SUNK|N SOUTH ATLANTIC
The Scharnhvrst, Gneisenau
and Leipzig Destroyed.
TWO OTHERS ARE PURSUED
Most Important Naval Engagement
Except That or Helgoland
Last August.


erick Sturdee, chief of the war stan.
engaged a German squadron, under
Admiral Count Won Spec, off
the Falkland Islands, in the south
A.iaLtic. yesterday and won a vic
tory wnlcn Is Deing acclaimed
throughout England.
The armored cruisers Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau and the protected
cruiser Leipzig, three of the German
warships that had menaced British
shipping. and part of the squadron
that sank the, Britis hcruisers Good
Hope and Monmouth in the Pacific
on November 1, were DESTROYED
while the cruisers Dresden and
Nurnberg, the two other vessels COM
prising the German squadron. made
OH, and, according TO latest accounts.
are being pursued. Two GOLFERS
were captured.
The announcement of this victory.
which was the most Important naval
engagement of the war except that
OH Helgoland last August, was made
In statement by admiralty of less
than one hundred words.
VICTORY A ANNllIINfI'l
The following announcement was
issued by the official information
bureau:
AT 1880 n. m. on the Sth of De-
cember, the Scharnhorst. Gneisenau.
Nurnberg, Leipzig and Dresden
were sighted near the Falkland
Islands.
An action followed, in the course
OF which the Scharnnorst, flying the
flag of Admiral Count Won Spec:
the Gneisenau and the Leipzig were
sunk. The Dresden and Nurnberg
made off during the action and are
being pursued.
Two colliers also were captured.
The vice admiral reports that
the British casualties are very few
in number.
Some survivors have been rescu-
ed from the Gneisenau and the
Leipzig"
The statement makes reference TO
Survivors, rescued from the Gneise-
nau and the Leipzig, but no mention
is made of any of the crew of the
Scharnhorst, flagship of the German
admiral being saved. and il is pre-
sumed that Count Won Spec. his
officers and men went down fighting.
The British casualties were light
but beyond the fact that the British
squadron was commanded by Vice
Admiral Sturdee no information is
vouchsafed regarding the ships en-
gagged, and newspapers are enjoined
not to speculate as "other combina-
tions may be effected
BRITISH CASUALTIES.
The greatest enthusiasm prevail
Ou III Lohuou over the Victory and
the general impression is that it
will be completed, as the admiralty
would not be likely to send ships
that could not overtake the Dresden
and Nurnberg, which are slow, and
also at disadvantage because OF
their small coal capacity.
The British squadron left Eng
land without the knowledge OF the
general public, and until his name
was mentioned Ii was believed that
Vice Admiral sturdee was serving
In home waters. The fact that he
was taken from the post of chief
of the war staff Is indicative OF the
determination Of the British govern
ment to clear the Pacific and South
Atlantic Of German warships. 1t is
believed, therefore. that the British
commander Is at the head of a for.
midable squadron.
In addition to the Dresden and
Nurnberg only one German warship
the Karisruhe-ncw is unac-
accounted for in those waters, al
though there may be one or two
armed merchantmen which the allies
have not rounded up.