Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-24
THIRTEEN SHIPS
SUNK IN OCEAN
BY Karlsruhe
Small German Cruiser Makes Event
full Campaign in South Allan
tic Ocean.
DRIVEN FROM SANDY HOOK
1t Spent Several Days in Vicinity Of
New York Bay Watching for
British Merchantmen.
LATER WENT TO WEST INDIES
Thirteen Ships with Tonnage Of
Sixty Thousand Are Sent to
the Bottom.
CREWS TAKEN TO CANARIES
Four Hundred Men Are Brought to
Teneriffe by the Steamer
Crefield.
KARLSRUHE Is A FAST SHIP
Its speed of Twenty-Seven Knots
an Hour Enabled ~ to Escape
when Pursued by Brit
Thirteen Ships with Tonnage of
Sixty Thousand Are Sent to
the Bottom.
CREWS TAKEN TO CANARIEs
Four Hundred Men Are Brought to
Teneriffe by the Steamer
Crefield.
KARLSRUHE Is A FAST SHIP
Its speed of Twenty-SeveB Knots
an Hour Enabled ~ TO Escape
when Pursued by BRIT
Ish Warsbips.

LONDON. Oct. 23.-(6:4O a. m,)
A dispatch from Tenerifte, Canary
Islands, to the Daily Mail, under date
of Thursday, reports that the Ger
man cruiser Karlsruhe has sunk thir-
teen British merchantmen In the At
lantic.
The news OF the Karlsrule's ex-
ploit, according TO the Daily Malls
Teneriffe correspondent, was brought
to the port by the German steamer
Crefeld, which arrived there with the
crews of the British steamers Strath-
ray. Maplebranch, Highland, Hope,
Indrsni. Aio Iguassu, Niceto, Maria
De Larrinaga, Cervantes, Cornish
City, Pruth, Condor and Lyncrowan,
all of which were sunk by the Karls-
ruhe. The Crefeld was accompanied
into port by the Germans. Patagonia,
Rle Negro and Asunoion,
A later message states that more than
400 men Of the crews are prisoners. The
ships were mostly engaged In the South
American trade end their total tonnage
Is about eo.0co
The cruiser Kerlsriihe, a ship OF trltIe
less than 5000 tons, has had In this war
a career as eventfui as that OF its smaller
sister ship. the Emden, in the Indian
ocean.
The Karlsruhe first came into notice
at the outbreak OF the war, when II ap-
peared in the vicinity Of Sandy Hook,
apparently In walt for British merchant
men leaving New York For a few days
British shipping hugged the piers and
then came news that the Karlsruhe had
been driven away by the approach OF
several British cruisers
On August the Karlsruhe appeared in
the harbor OF San Juan, Porto Rico,
where II coaled and again took 20 the
seas. Soon after II was learned that the
Karlsruhe had been In a sensational run
ming fight at sea with the British cruis-
ers, Suffolk and Bristol
II appears that the British cruisers
came unexpectedly on the karlsruhe
while II was ooaling from the German
steamer. Kronprins Wilhelm. The cruis-
ers engaged in a running fight, while
the Kron Prince Wilhelm, through It's
superior speed. easily escaped. The Karls-
ruhe also eIuded its pusuers. and an un-
confirmed report had it that It damaged
the Bristol
Since then the Karlsruhe has appeared
In several West Indian ports for coal.
after preying in various southern seas
on British commerce. An official state
ment. given out In Berlin on October 3.
said 1t had sunk seven British steamers
In the Atlantic.
The Karlsruhe Is comparatively new
ship. having gone into commission early
In 1913 II is very fast. having a speed
OF twenty-seven knots. which has enabled
II thus far successfully TO elude the per-
siEtent British pursuit It's main arma-
ment consists OF twelve 4i-inch guns and
Il carries a crew OF s73 men.