The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-04

Kaiser's Ships Encounter .
British Squadron on Chile.
Sinks or Scatters Them with
but Slight Loss.
MONMOUTH LOST WITH CREW
Good Hope Is Severely Dam.
aged and Set Afire.
The Others Take Refuge in .
Chilean Port.

Valparaiso. Chill. Now 4.--The vic
tory OF the German fleet under Ad- :
m1ral Won Spec. consisting Of the ar.
mored cruiser Scharnhorst ana
Gneisenau and the light cruisers
Nurnberg. Leipsic. and Bremen over
the British squadron made up Of tha
cruisers Monmouth, Good Hope ana
Glasgow and the transport Otrantc.
commanded by Rear Admiral Graz
dock continues the sensation Of tho.
nour here. That the Germans were
aoie TO sink or scatter the British
squadron with only minor damage to
their own ships and a casualty list Of
only two wounded IL e subject Of von-
der.
The Monmouth is known to have
been lost with practically all her crew
as a result OF this first big naval flght
OF the =; the Good Hope was se-
verely damaged and on fro when she
escaped under cover Of darkness and
it is believed here that she went tn
the bottom while the Glasgow ana
Otranto took refuge in q Chilean
port.
The Scharnhorst. Gneisenau and
Nurnberg were still in the harbor
early today coaling and provisioning
in preparation for steaming away
later in the day. It is supposed they
will relieve the Leipsic and Bremen
which have the Glasgow and Otranto
bottled up in the port Of Talcahuano.
eight miles northwest Of Conception.
It would seem like madness for these
British ships to leave this haven Of
refuge and it is likely they will be dis
mantled and interned unless q superior
British and Japanese fleet should
9esief %sss IL apps.ranes and GO to their
Admiral Won Spec. in his official re-
port Of the battle. which took place
Sunday. afternoon off the Chilean H.
land OF ST. Maria, Gays the action last
nightfau when the British were forced
to give way.
1.-The Good Hope" he says, ''was
then SO badly damaged that she was
unable to resist and could only make
her escape protected by the darkness.
The Monmouth, under identical condi-
tfons, tried to escape but was followed
by small cruiser and was sunk with
few shots. Owing to the hurricane
that was blowing no boats could be
lowered and consequently there was .
terrible loss OF life"
The German admiral in noting the
escape of the Glasgow and the Otranto
says it was due to their speed and the
darkness.
Details OF the Fight.
Details of the fight picked up from
informal conversations with German
officers who came ashore from the war;
ships. show that the Germans owing
to the superior range of the guns on
the ar:nored cruisers Scharnhorst and
Gneisenau. opened fire when six miles
away.
AS the ships closed and the range
came down to a distance of four miles.
the British ships were able to reply,
but by that time they were already
seriously damaged. The Germans de-
clare that the British fought heroical-
ly but that their artillery was ineffect-
i've against the superior weight Of
metal the Germans were able to pour
from the more modern guns Of the ar
mored cruisers.
It is stated that the light German
cruisers pluclsily closed in on the Brit
fsh and took part in the battle. One
OF them, it appears. from the omcial
report, gave the Monmouth her death
blow. as. crippled and in flames. she
tried to escape