Evening star., 1914-11-12
British War Vessel Niger
Struck by German Tor
pedo Off Deal.
SUBMARINE PENETRATES
THE DOWNS, FIRST TIME
Chilean Admiralty Denies Destruc-
ton of English Battleship
Canopus Off Coronel.

DEAL, England, via London, Novem-
ber 1a-Thousands of people witnessed
the sinking off Deal of the British
torpedo gunboat Niger by German
submarine while lying in the Downs
opposite the pierhead.
At noon loud roar of an explosion
was heard, dense columns of black
smoke were seen to arise and the
Niger almost Immediately began to go
down by the bows. Though partially
hidden by clouds of smoke and steam
the stern of the Niger was seen to
rise gradually in the air until the
greater length of her keel was visible.
Then she slid slowly and gracefully
beneath tho water. twenty minutes
after she was struck. Her boilers burst
Immediately before she disappeared
and caused further rush of steam
Crew Below at Dinner.
Nearly all of the crew were below at
dinner when the torpedo struck the
ship and orders to close the wafer
tight doors were shouted from the
bridge. When the crew flew to obey
one of them observed the white foam
following the course of the torpedo.
The explosion followed and large
hole was made just before the bridge
in the forward part of the ship.
Boats were Immediately launched, in
cluding two lifeboats, and the crew, in
GLIDING Capt. Arthur T. Muir, and the
officers We're rescued. Three of the
survivors are injured and 1t is re-
ported that two men are missing.
Vessel Carried Eighty-Five Men.
The Niger carried a complement of
eighty-five men. The gunboat was
built in 1892. She had a displacement
of $40 tons and was 230 feet long. Her
armament consisted of two 4.1-inch
guns, four three-pounders, one machine
gun and three eighteen-inch torpedo
tubes. Her speed, when she was first
built. was 1872 knots per hour.
This is the first time German sub
marine has penetrated the Downs,
where nearly hundred ships were at
anchor at the time of the disaster.
No news in reference to the reported
sinking of the British battleship
Canopus, off Coronel, Chile, has been
received. The Chilean admiralty denies
the report.
Warships Leave Honolulu.
HONOLULU, November 1.-THE Jap
anese battleship Hizen and cruiser
Asama, which entered this port yester-
day for coal and provisions. have left
Rumor has it in the Japanese colony
that the warships will rendezvous with
a Japanese fleet now nearing the coast
of Chile, where it is supposed to be
seeking the German cruisers which de-
feated Rear Admiral Sir Christopher
Cradocks squadron.
Two japanese merchantmen at Hila
are due to clear shortly, but in view of
the sinking of the Emden and the
known presence of the remainder of
the German Pacific squadron off the
coast of South America. it is believed
the Hizen and Asama will be detailed to
convoy them.
Destruction of Emden.
SYDNEY, y. S. W., via London, No
vember 12.--The naval board here has
received details of the fight in which
the German cruiser Emden was put out
of commission. The Emden arrived at
Cocos Island and sent armed launches.
towing two boats. ashore. Forty men
with three officers and four maYms
were landed in fifteen minutes, and the
landing party smashed the wireless in
strunents and the engines of the plant.
In the meantime the Australian
cruiser sydney w4s sighted on the
horizon. and the Emden Immediately
put to sea. leaving the landing party,
both BOATS and men. behind. The
Emden started the firing. her practice
at first being excellent, but afterward
ii fell off. She lost two tunnels and
took fire at tbs stern with an hour.
while the sydney was scarcely touched
The Emden is now ashore north of
Keeling island ard burning. The cap
tain of the Sydney says he found only
thirty men or her.
The landing party, saving COM
mandeered two months supplies, left
OH schooners belonging to the owner
of the island. They are still at large.
1t appears that the presence of the En-
den was made known to the Sydney by