Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-12-17
noon, and the situation was describ-
ed by the admiralty as Developing"
2. ..#.#" 49, Us -
Object Of Attack in Doubt. {,

ed by the admiralty as developing
Object Of Attack in Doubt.
1t could not be ascertained at first
whether this German attack was de
signed merely to spread Il panic
among the British people or whether
It's purpose was to engage the Brit
ish fleet in general action or to act
as escort in an attempt to land troops
on the British coast. Neither Scar.
borough nor Hartlepool are fortified
600, and during the summer most OF
the seaside hotels are crowded. AT
this time Of the year, however, hotels
are comparatively deserted. Hartle'
pool, together with West Hartlepool
has a population of about 10000,
Great excitement prevailed il Lloyds
underwriting rooms, when announce.
ment of the German naval raid was
posted on bulletin boards.
Insurance Suspended.
Members crowded around and Gag
erly read the notice. Insurance rates
so far as the North Sea are concern.
ed, have been practically suspended
pending the receipts OF definite news
of the result of the, engagement. AT
the baltic Exchange the news was
read most eagerly by members, and
was the chief topic of conversation
all through the afternoon.
Official Announcement Made.
The official press bureau this after
loon made the following announce
ment in regard to the German attack
on North Sea coast of England. ID
"The fortress commander at West
Hartlepool reports that German war
vessels engaged that fortress be-
The enemy were driven off. A small
German vessel also opened fire on
Scarborough and Whitby.'
Nine Killed at HartlepooI.
Hull, England-Nine persons re,
ported killed at Hartlepool and a
large number injured in b~ombardment
of that port by German cruiser. Bonn
bardment of Hartlepool lasted for 70
minutes. Hostile vessels, estimated
from two to six in number. but never
once were they clearly visible from
the shore.
Forts on the River Tees replied to
the fire of the German vessels. Pieces
of shell have been found all owe Har-
tlepool. The damage inflicted on the
town is said to be considerable. O1e
ahell hit a gas tank and set it atre.
The long expected attack by Ger
mans on England was made today.
For the first time in the history of
the United Kingdom, hostile warships
%bombarded the English towns. Scar
borough, Hartlepool, Redcar and
Whitby, on the shore of the North
Sea, were shelled by German war
ships. The extent of the damage in
flicted was not revealed in the early
reports. 1t seemed probable, how
ever, that Germany had sent a few
swift cruisers for a raid on the coast
of England, largely for its moral eff
feet and had not attempted the action
with its main fleet for an invasion OF
England. Announcements from the
British official information bureau
came through with unusual celebrity.
Some of these dispatches were passed
by the censor and transmitted to New
York in about one hour, compared
with delays of two to four hours
which are not unusual in forwarding
war news from London. Although
the raid on England ~overshadOwed all
other developments, for the time be-
ing, there we're important occurrences
in other quarters. The French Off
cial statement says there is further
progress by the Allies in Belgium,
and that German attacks in Alsace
and Woevere district were repulsed
and that British warships again have
bombarded the German positions On
the coast Of Belgium. =