The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-29

: LONDON, Sept. 30.-The details OF
the burning Of the German warship
Koenissbur9 were told here today for
the first time In lister written by an
officer Of the Severn. one Of the two
river monitors which destroyed the
cruiser In the Ruff river. German
East Africa, last July. ....t
# The KoeniEsburs, I protected cruiser
u 3,34S tons and carrying ten IL inch
guns. did much damage to British com
merce In the Indian ocean after the
beginning Of the war. She defeated
the British cruiser Pegasus in septem.
Der. but the British cruiser Chatham
cot On her. trail and the ko>nigsburs
took refuge up the Ruff. Two river
ihonitors, Severn and Mersey, which
had been used on tho Belgian coast.
! wAre sent to put the Koenigsbure out
OF action.
The officers letter follows:
Tuesday. July 6, was the day OF the
first attempt. We were 1t our sta.
tons from S:&5 L. III. till 4:4b p. M,
and several hours Of that were under
fire. The engine room people we're
not relieved the whole time and they
were down there the whole time In a
temperature OF 1925. 1t was hot up
in the top, but child's play to the en-.
eiaA room.
I'VE hit the Kosnigsburs six times
At least and believe set her on fire
that was early in the day. Then We
lost the target and doubt whether we
hit her again. though we tried all day
till 4 o'clock. The Koenigsburg was
dropping salvoes OF four very close
indeed
we left the Mersey at the place
whore we anchored last time in the
hope she would draw the Koenigs-
burk'S fire and leave US a tree hand.
salvo at her end and then for the rest
OF the day concentrated on us. She
was plugging us Tor seventeen min
utes before We could return her fire.
The salvos Of four were dropping
closer than ever II possible. and after
wards almost every man In the ship
found I bit Of German she'll On board
a. souvenir. They were everywhere
ON the decks, round the engine room
but not 4 soul was even scratched.
we went on higher up the river
than last time. and finally anchored.
As the after 6.inch guns crew were
securing the stern anchor two shells
fell. one on either side. within eight
feet Of the side and drenched the quar-.
terdeck. It was very critical time.
II she hit US we were probably finish
ed-and she came as near as possible
without actually touching.
I'VE had no sooner anchored and
laid the xuns than the aeroplane Sig
nailed she WAS read to spot. Our first
four salvos. at about one minute inter
val, were all siknalled as Did not OBJ
serve fall OF shot We came down 400,
then another 400. and more to the left.
The next shot was spotted as 200 yards
over and about 200 yards to the right
The next $50 short ana 100 to the left.
The necessary orders were sent to the
guns, ana the seventh sAlvo We hit
with one and were Just over with the
other We hit eight times in the next
twelve shots. 1t was frightfully ex-
citing.
The KoenigsburE was now firing
salvos OF three only. The aeroplane
siknalled all hits were forwArd--so We
came little left to get her amidships.
The machine suddenly siknalled, Am
Nit coming down: send Z boat And
there she was about half way between
MS and the Koenigsburg. planning down.
As they fell they continued to signal
cur shots. for We OF course kept on
firing The aetoplane fell IN the water
about one hundred yards from the Mer-
sAy and turned sonersault: one man
was thrown clear, but the other had to
struggle to get free. Finally both got
away and were swimming for ten min
utes before the Mersey's motorboat
reached them. beating ours by short
head. They were uninjured and IS
merry ~ crickets.
I'VE kept on firing steadily the
whole time, ~ We knew we were hit
tinx-About one salvo = minute. The
Koenixsbure was now firing two guns:
within II minutes Of our opening fire
noticed and logged It down that she
was firing two.
IN 4 short time there was big ex.
plosion from the direction OF the koen-
iksburk, and from then on she was
/ never tree from smoke, sometimes
!, more, sometimes less. at one moment