Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-12-24

London, Dec. 17.--Germany daring
~ attacked England herself early In
the morning. <-aaE
After a dash across the North sea
on misty night. a German fiotflla
bomharded Hartlepoof. Scarborough
and Whitby, unfortifled cities on the
east coast Of England, early in the
morning. .
Some thirty women and men were
killed. Churches we're ruined, hotels,
dwellings and stores were destroyed
by the homhardment, which endured
40 minutes. after which the Germans
steamed northward from Scarborough
and escaped pursuing British cruisers.
The gun flashes indicated that four
big warships were firing. One shell
that has been picked TIP was Ia inches
in diameter and SO inches long.
Hundreds fed in panic while the in.
vaders' proieetiies Numbered and
burst setting on fire the structures
they had set i'm ruins. Others, af.
frighted, took refuge In cellars.
The exploding shells of the bold
cruisers who slipped through the Brit,
ish feet and the guard ships and
lodged the mines thickIy strewn In
the North sea. dug holes in the streets
Of Scarborough SO wide and deep that
a railway truck could pass through
them.
Warships Repei Raiders.
Hurrledly called by wireless, British
warships FASTENED from the nearest
points to attack the enemy. But the
German cruiser force. made up OF
their fastest cruisers, escaped In the
mist from the British squadron.
The squadron which sheiled Hartle-
pool, where the hombardment was
most destructive to life and property.
was composed. the admiralty announ-
ees. OF two battle cruisers and an ar.
mored cruiser, while from four to sin
light cruisers attacked Scarborough
and Whitby.
Germans Escape I'm Fog.
The German squadron escaped prac
ticaily unframed. The organizer pur
suit that drew Engiand's great ships
from their stations ut sea could not
ratch mp or cut off the fast raiders.
The Germans had In their favor a
heavy mist. which covered the sea, and
they made rapid withdrawal after
dropping shells on the coast towns for
about thirty minutes. Ill
The only oflicial mention OF damage
10 the raiders Ia contained In an OH
eiai British statement which said the
batteries at Hartiepool had damaged
at least one OF the vessels which ap-
peared there.
The Yorkshire Evening News prints
a dispatch to the effect that two Ger
man cruisers have been sunk. aud that
British warships were damaged.
Most Daring Raid Of War.
II liz the most daring and success
full exploit the Germans have Der.
formed in the war, amazing In its say.
age thoroughness- All England In
alarmed and enraged because a squad
ron OF Germany's most dangerous war
craft was permitted to escape from the
kiea canal and remain unaetectad long
enough TO give Engiishmen even a
light experience OF the horrors of war
that have come to Belgium and France.
/ There Is fear that an invasion win
be attempted. but there liz more reason
TO believe that the devastating raid
was the first stroke OF a great coup.
Germany. IL is positively known. has
been penning for weeks a concerted
rush OF battle cruisers and dread
naughts from Helgoland and the rnoath
OF the Eihe, in an attempt to ruin
British commerce On the Atlantic.
Many Dead ~ 1artlepoeG.
1t is officially enaoun>tad that NJ
HaFtlepooi seven soldiers were killed
and Ill wounded and g civilians we're
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