The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-01-01
SEVEN .lAvAL AlRMEN ASSISTED
BY LIGHT CRUISERS AND
SuBARMlNES IN OAR
ING RAID.
COMMANDER AND THREE
SEA-PLANES ARE LOST
Teutons Declare Assault on Naval
Base at Cuxhaven is Fruitless-
Damage Done by Bombs
Thrown Not Yet AS
certained.

London, Dec. 29.-Assisted by light
cruisers, destroyers and submarines.
seven British naval airmen, plotting
sea-planes made daring attack
Christmas day on the German naval
base at CuXhaven, at the mouth of the
Elbe. Six of the airmen returned safe
ly, but the seventh, Commander Hew
lett it is feared has been lost as his
machine was found off Helgoland
wrecked.
What damage was done by the
bombs thrown by the attacking party
could not be ascertained, but the Ger
man report of the affair says that the
raid was fruitless.
Test of Moaern Machines.
The enterprise of the British navy
in thus attempting to 'dig out" the
German feet brought about battle
between the most modern of war ma
chimes, the British squadron includ
ing the light cruisers Arethusa and
Uniaunted, which have been engaged
in previous exploits on the German
coast was attacked by Zeppelins, sea
planes and submarines.
BY rapid maneuvering the ships
were able to avoid the submarines.
while the Zeppelins found the fire OF
the cruisers too dangerous for them TO
keep up the fight
The erman seaplaneS dropped
bombs which. according to the British
account, ell harmlessly into the sea.
The Germans, however, claim to
| have hit two destroyers and their con-
| voys, the latter being set afire.
The British ships remained in the
vicinity for three hours without being
attacked by any surface warships, and
| picked up three of the seven pilots
and their planes.
Three others were picked up by
submarines, but their machines were
sunk. Commander Hewlett. it is
thought, was drowned.
| Make Daylight Attack.
The official press bureau gave out
the following statement, regarding the
raid on the German coast:
ION Friday, December Is, the Ger.
man warships lying off Schilling Roads
off CuXhaven were attacked by seven
naval seaplanes piloted by Flight Com
manders Nliver Hewlett, Boss and
Kilner, Flight Lieutenants Miley and
Edwards and Sub-Lieutenant Black
burn.
THE attack was delivered in day.
light, starting from point in the vi
cinity of Helgoland. The seaplanes
| were escorted by a light cruiser and
destroyer force, together with 3subnIa-
rines. AS these ships were seen by
the Germans from Helgoland-two
Zeppelins and three or four hostile
seaplanes and several hostile sub
marines attacked them.
ct was necessary for the British
ships to remain in the neighborhood
to pick up the returning airmen, and a
novel combat ensued between the most
modern cruisers and the enemys air.
crafts and submarines. By swift man.
euvering the enemy's submarines were
avoided and the two Zeppelins were
easily put to flight by the guns of the
Undaunted and Arethusa.
Unmolested by Surface Vessels.
"The enemy's seaplanes succeeded
in dropping their bombs near our
ships, but without hitting any of them.
The British ships remained for three
hours off the enemy's coast without
being molested by any surface vessel
and safely re-embarked three out of
the seven airmen with their machines.
Three other pilots returned later and
were picked up by British submarines
which were standing by Their ma
chimes were sunk.
'Six out of the seven pilots return
ed safely. Flight Commander Hewlett
is missing. His machine was seen in
a wrecked condition about eight miles
from Helgoland, and tie fate of the
daring and skillful pilot Is ct present
unknown.
1.-THE extent Of the damage by the
British airmen's bombs cannot he es-
timated, but all were discharged at
points of military significance"