The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-04-07
WIRELESS AND
WIT COVERED
GOEBEN FLIGHT

news was communicated to them, BE.
came quiet" -,
AT four o'clock in the morning of
August s the two ships reached Mes.
sina. The General was waiting there
laden with coal. but the representa-.
yves OF the Italian government re-
fused on grounds of neutrality to allow
the warships themselves to coal there.
Planned to Deceive British.
On the evening Of the same day an.
other shock occurred. An Italian of.
hcer representing the commander at
Messina' arrived and was ushered into
the admiral's dining room. The ad.
m1ral asked him to take seat, but he
preferred to stand. What may l do
for you?" asked the admiral. I'VE
want to know" replied the officer Tin
Germany, how long the German ships
propose to remain here. They can
only remain twenty-four hours in q
neutral port" The semi-official wri.
ter observes, The last words came
with difficulty from the Italians lips"
Very we'll, will remain here twenty.
four hours, replied the admiral
There was a pause "Of course
reckon the respite from this moment
in which you inform me that Messina
is, in fact, neutral port"
At midday on August the admiral
issued the following order to the
three ships under his command:
News about the enemy is uncer-
tain. presume his strength lies in
the Adriatic and that he Is watching
both exits in the Messina straits.
Object: To break through to the
East and reach the Dardanelles.
Order of going: Goeben leaves at
five O'Clock at seventeen miles an
hour; Breslau follows at a distance
of five miles and closes it up at dark
ness.
Il want to create the impression
that we are wanting to 60 to the
Adriatic, and In case l do succeed in
creating the impression that we are
wanting to 60 to the Adriatic we shall
veer round in the night and make for
Cape Matapan. IL possible throwing of
the enemy.
THE steamer General to leave at
seven o'clock in the evening, to keep
along the Sicilian coast and to try and
reach Santorin."
AS the ships-hags flying and
music playing-were reaching the
open sea the following wireless mes
sage from the kaiser reached the ad.
miral:
His majesty expects the Goeben
and the Breslau to succeed In break.
ing through"
Shortly after leaving the harbor an
English cruiser of the Weymouth
class, alleged to be the Gloucester,
appeared on the horizon. The Ger
man narrative proceeds:
Profited by Enemy's. Wrong Guess.
THE commander asked the admiral
whether they should open fire. No,
no. Astonishment. The wireless Of
ticers were even more puzzled. The
could hear the wireless waves being
transmitted by the operators on the
E.glish cruiser. They did not know
the code, but they noted the call and
tho answer. The German boats were
evidently expected, and all prepare.
tions for attacking thcn- were being
made.
The English cruiser was emitting
signals in three groups, and it was
clear that 1t referred to the Goeben.
The wireless receivers finally de-
ciThered the signal of the British
cruiser as 'Goeben making for the
Adriatic.'
THE German wireless officer ar
gued thuswise: I can jam him. II
break my waves against his I can
confuse, hold up, destroy his mes.
sages.' Shall jam his wire]ess?' he
asked the admiral.
mo was the answer to both ques-
tions. No one apart from the staff