German East Asia Squadron
At the outbreak of the First World War, "Emden" was anchored in the German base at Tsingtao. She steamed out to sea on the evening of July 31, 1914, and on August 4 she intercepted and captured the Russian mail steamer "Ryazan", the first prize taken by the Imperial German Navy ("Kaiserliche Marine") in the Great War. "Emden" then made rendezvous with the German East Asia Squadron of Admiral Count Maximilian von Spee in the Mariana Islands.