New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-29
'TORPEDOES PUT AN
END TO BLUECHER
Light Cruiser ArethuSa
Won New Glory in
North Sea Battle.
GERMAN SAILORS
LINED UP FOR DEATH
Doomed Cruisers Men Warned
BY British, Then Leaped
Into Sea.

jBy cable to The Tribune
London. Jan. % Further stories Of
Sundays sea fight as told by men OF
the British squadron are given IN Inc
Daily News" The light cruiser Aurora
was in action with the German cruiser
Kolperg. and her first shot carried
away the Kolberg's midship funnel.
Her guns raked the German ship, which,
when last seen by the Arethusa, was IN
a helples and sinking condition. Some
Of the men who took part also IN the
Helgoland Blight battle in August
said:
The Blight fight was q picnic com
pared with Sunday fight. This one
was FINE sport" On one destroyer II
is stated. the crew sang "See How
They Run" but there was quite an
other tale from the crew OF the de-
gtroyer Meteor.
"Wc we're told said one man, TO
act as decoy. our COMMANDER IS
noted for his seamanshlp. We double
banked our fires and We went aheao'
letting out dense volumes OIL smoke
from our tunnels. We we're IKE
piece OF CREASED lightning. We ala some
fancy. skating, and the German gunners
must have been sick at missing US time
after time. We spun around at ume5
like spinning top, but they got Us
tuice and we got a she'll into our boiler
room which laid four OF our felioWS
out at once. Then We got another IN
-
little dance. We were sorry and YET
We were not. We wanted TO go back
again. but we had to be content with
watching the game Of hare and HOUNDS
We saw the Bluecher so down. ne
sight was magnificent, yet horrible.
81 don't think much of the German
airmen." interposed comrade. "Iney
dropped bombs, and ! believe they
drowned many Of their own men by
doing So"
Arethusa Wins New Glory.
The Daily Chronicles correspond
ent has gathered the following account
of the sinking of the Bluecher ana the
part played by the cruiser ArethuSa
in the North Sea battle:
"Once again has the Arethusa COY
cred herself with glory. In sunday
sbips TO sight the Germans, and after
remaining in action for seven hours the
task of striking the Buecher the NOR
tai blow fell to her, AS did the pleasure
of rescuing eight officers and III men
from the doomed battle cruiser. Shells
fell around her giving her no respite
through the whole morning and until
. i'm the afternoon. She had some
miraculous escapes. Although her
decks were drenched with water thrown
I'D by shells which exploded IN the sea
close by. she herself was absolutely
Nundamaged.
Talking 10 some Of her crew to-
day. they gave me an idea of the sJcrt-
ing instincts of the saucy ships com
pany both before and after the battle.
One of the German officers whom she
had taken aboard as a prisoner con
fessed that the fatherland could never
hope to beat England. 'On land. per
haps,, he remarked. but OH sea, never.
"Once aboard the German officers
were not treated as prisoners. lhcy
were shown into the wardrobe ard soon
began to frateTnize with our onlcers'
We feel honored 70 be captured by
the Arethuss,' one officer said. Sne is
a wonderful boat and her fame Is great
in Germany
Glad II Is All Over.
"'War is war said another. Either
YOU sink US or we sink you Wei,
/ am glad it is all over, said third.
1T has been a terrible time j shud-
der when ! think Of the fate awaiting
some Of our comrades m our navy
was the solictous concern OF an elder
liz officer. Your shells are terrifying
and your seamanship marvellous, Dut
while we here are captured ana saie
and can now sleep quietly IN our beds,
our first untrammelled sleep since
the early DAYS Of August, when we
realized that we had to face your
navy how will the rest fareT
quite a number o. them spoke Eng
lish. and so grateful were they for the
kindness shown them on board the
Arethusa that they showered all their
belongings, watches, money, rings, etc.
on her crew.
postcards were given TO the German
officers and men and they Immediately
sat down to write home TO Germany.
al am safe, was the message on
one postcard. j was rescued by me
Arethusa. Do you remember the night
we were discussing her? We are happy
and comfortable. Thank God my life
has been spared
The Bluecher TorpedOed.
"The Arethusa finished off the Blue
cher with couple Of torpedoes.
"'There came time when the poor
old Bluecher wasn't worth any more
powder and shot from the lndomi-
table, member Of the crew Informed
me. There was no need to be extrava-
CANT with our metal so word was
passed TO US on the Arethusa to set TO
work with torpedoes. We could not
miss her, for she was almost station
airy. Our second one went right into
her, fair amidships. She had terrible
list even before this. and she had
thrown up the sponge.
Lined Up for Death.
The narrator added: Her crew was
game to the last We saw 'em lining
up the tafFrail, standing to attention
Ii was a thrilling moment. No man
with any feeling could fail 10 admire
such GOODNESS. When we had launched
our second and last torpedo we knew
that the end would come quickly. We
steamed within 200 yards of them and
we could see the torpedo making for
them. They would have met their
deaths standing riQidly 10 attention had