El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-21
MEN HATE GERMAN SEA CAPTAIN;
SHIPS sunk WITHOUT RESISTANCE
Engagement of Cattegat in Which British Sank Cruiser
Marie and Fleet of Patrol Boats Is Featured by Sub
sequent Lies of Capt. Lauterbach, Known to the
American Naval Men as Baron Munchausen."

-ASE OF THE GRAND FLEET
X Nov. Correspondence Of a. P.)
IL The recent naval action in the
CatteEat. where the British sank a
German cruiser and ten armed patrol
ships, is an example Of the caeful
planning which lies behind every
move on the naval chart. \ compare
lively insignificant force OF British
lestroyers and light cruisers were the
actual stage performers IN the little
SkaEgerak drama.
The actual fight in the Cattegat be-
san about o'clock in the morning
and over three hours later. The Ger
man fleet behind its Qualifications.
received the calls for help but dared
not take Cnance-probably well
knowing any attempt to send out help
would be confronted with enemies
from all directions.
A fog lay over the entire Cattesat
throughout the action. and the British
dest-oyers picked off their victims
one by one and sank them. The Ger
man auxiliary cruiser Marie, which
led the patrol boats. was a ship Of
5000 tons Her captain. Herr Lauter-
bach. was Tounded but reached the
Danish shore safely.
shells Enfned Into ship.
His ship which had four guns and
% crew Of 20. was suddenly attacked,
he said. in an interview with a DAN
lsh newspaper man afterward. "by
fleet of British destrOye-s and the
shells fired by them descended with
such rapidly that the men on the
p n..
suns Only Few shots were fired be-
fore the ship was mass Of flames"
Captain Exceedingly Unpopular.
British and American naval men
who have been on the China station
IN years past. viii remember Capt
I-auterbaCh. He was known from
Shanghai TO NladivOStoE as baron
MUnchauSe1.- and is said 10 have been
The most unpopular German naval Of
firer in the Far East His unpopular
ity extended even TO his own men. and
In the Cattecat battle the first re-
mark made by German bluejaclset
rescued from the sea was the fer
vently expressed hope that the
British had not made the mistake Of
rescuing his captain.
Not a shot Fired BY Marie.
Lauterbach's naval reputation prob
a bly, viii suffer somewhat from the
Cattegat battle. His report that he
fired his guns as long as possible is
6enied by his own men, no declared
ln&t Laurer1acl was seized with
funk as soon as the enemy appeared .
and that not single shot was fired
from the Narie's guns
Presumably the Marie was making
her way toward the trade route be-
tween Norway and Scotland in hope
of repeating The successful German
attack Of October = on the British .
convoy The British concentrated .
their fire first on the Marie and then .
detached their fastest vessels TO
round up the escortinE patrol yes
sells This was thoroughly done after
a hunt lasting nearly three hours .
This action. T. should be remembered. J.
occurred in waters which the Ger
mans regard as practically one OF
their INLAND seas
The CatteEat is the gateway 10 the F.
Baltic The scene OF the fight is sou .
miles from the nearest British Goa ST. .
Hut less than 200 miles from kiel
COmrarIsOn Of Actions.
An interesting comparison might be T.
made between this clean victory br-
the British destO-ers and the hit ami
run raid by the Gema1 light cruis-
elS and q British convoy. October g.
The Germans sent out two Of their
fastest cruisers in the darkness
struck their blow ID nervous haste
ln the early morning hours not even
pausing 10 rescue q single life OF
hundreds OF combat-1ts and nOn-c0m-
natants- then ran 10 spend the re-
naming hours or daylight in hiding.
and when night fell dashed down the
Norwegian coast and thus returned T,
home without being Intercepted.
No non combatant lives were lost