The Battle of the Falkland Islands 4

The Battle of the Falkland Islands 4

The fifth seemed by far the most favourable to his hopes, as

being likely to yield a richer harvest, and, if successful, might

paralyse our enormous trade with South America, upon which we were so

dependent.

 

German influence was predominant as well as unscrupulous along the

Brazilian coasts, which would render it easy to maintain supplies. To

evoke sympathy amongst the smaller Republics would also come within

his horizon. Finally, he could have had little idea of our strength

in South Africa; whereas information gleaned from Valparaiso (which

von Spee evidently considered reliable) as to the precise extent of

our limited naval resources then on the east coast of South America,

must have proved a deciding factor in determining his strategy.

 

Whichever course were adopted, it was practically certain that the

German Admiral would move eastwards, either through the Straits

of Magellan or, more probably, round the Horn to avoid having his

whereabouts reported. That this occurred to the minds of our naval

authorities before the action off Coronel took place is practically

certain, but it is to be regretted that reinforcements to Admiral

Cradock's squadron operating in South American waters were not sent

there in time to prevent that disaster.

 

This, then, in brief, was the problem that presented itself to our

commanders after the battle of Coronel took place, and no doubt

influenced them in the choice of the Falkland Islands as a base, its

geographical position making it almost ideal in the event of any move

in that direction on the part of the Germans.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER III

 

BRITISH MEN-OF-WAR OFF SOUTH AMERICA

 

"If England hold

The sea, she holds the hundred thousand gates

That open to futurity. She holds

The highways of all ages. Argosies

Of unknown glory set their sails this day

For England out of ports beyond the stars.

Ay, on the sacred seas we ne'er shall know

They hoist their sails this day by peaceful quays,

Great gleaming wharves i' the perfect City of God,

If she but claims her heritage."

 

--ALFRED NOYES (_Drake_).

 

 

Before attempting to give a description of the battle of the Falkland

Islands, it is necessary to review very briefly the movements and

dispositions of our ships, as well as the events preceding the

battle, which include both the duel between the armed merchant

cruiser _Carmania_ and _Cap Trafalgar_ and the action fought off

Coronel on the coast of Chile by Admiral Cradock.

 

Our naval forces were scattered in comparatively small units all

over the world when war broke out. Ships in various squadrons

were separated from one another by great distances, and, with the

exception of our Mediterranean Fleet, we possessed no squadron in any

part of the globe equal in strength to that of von Spee.

 

Attention is directed to the positions of Easter Island, where the

Germans had last been reported, Valparaiso, Coronel, Magellan

Straits, Staten Island, the Falkland Islands, Buenos Ayres,

Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, and the Island of Trinidad

off the east coast of South America, since they occur continually in

the course of this narrative.[3]

 

In the early part of 1914 Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock,

K.C.V.O., C.B., flying his flag in the _Suffolk_, was in command

of the fourth cruiser squadron, which was then doing some very

useful work in the Gulf of Mexico. On August 2nd he was at Kingston,

Jamaica, and received information that the _Good Hope_ was on her way

out to become his flagship, so he sailed northwards to meet her. On

the way he sighted and gave chase to the _Karlsruhe_ on August 6th,

as has been related. The _Suffolk_ and the _Good Hope_ met at sea ten

days later, and the Admiral went on board the latter immediately and

hoisted his flag.

 

Turning south, he went to Bermuda, called in at St. Lucia on August

23rd, and thence proceeded along the north coast of South America

on his way to take up the command of a newly forming squadron of

British ships patrolling the trade routes and protecting the merchant

shipping in South American waters. At St. Lucia Admiral Cradock would

probably have learned of the sailing of von Spee's squadron from

Ponape on August 6th, and this accounts for his haste in making south

in order to meet and form his ships together.

 

The squadron was gradually augmented as time went on, and in the

months of September and October, 1914, consisted of the flagship

_Good Hope_ (Captain Philip Francklin), _Canopus_ (Captain Heathcoat

Grant), _Monmouth_ (Captain Frank Brandt), _Cornwall_ (Captain W. M.

Ellerton), _Glasgow_ (Captain John Luce), _Bristol_ (Captain B. H.

Fanshawe), and the armed merchant cruisers _Otranto_ (Captain H. McI.

Edwards), _Macedonia_ (Captain B. S. Evans), and _Orama_ (Captain J.

R. Segrave).

 

 

No news was obtainable as to the whereabouts of the German squadron

stationed in the Pacific, which consisted of the _Scharnhorst_,

_Gneisenau_, _Emden_, _Nürnberg_, and _Leipzig_, except that it was

known that the two latter had been operating on the east side of the

Pacific, and that the _Emden_ was in the Bay of Bengal. The vaguest

rumours, all contradicting one another, were continually being

circulated, in which it is more than likely that German agents had a

large share.

 

Admiral Cradock proceeded south in the middle of September to

watch the Straits of Magellan, and to patrol between there and

the River Plate, as he doubtless hoped to prevent the _Karlsruhe_

and _Dresden_--which, when last heard of, were in South American

waters--from attempting to effect a junction with their main

squadron. With him were the _Monmouth_, _Glasgow_, and the armed

Orient liner _Otranto_, in addition to his own ship the _Good Hope_,

which, together with his colliers, had their first base in the

Falkland Islands.

 

On hearing of the appearance of the Germans off Papeete and of the

bombardment of the French colony there on September 22nd, it was

apparently considered expedient to proceed to the west coast of South

America in order to intercept the enemy. Accordingly, early in

October the _Monmouth_, _Glasgow_, and _Otranto_ went round to the

Pacific, diligently searching out the many inlets and harbours _en

route_, and arrived at Valparaiso on October 15th, but only stayed

a part of one day in order to get stores and provisions. They then

went back southwards to meet the _Good Hope_ and _Canopus_, vainly

hoping to fall in with the _Leipzig_ or _Dresden_ on the way. The

_Good Hope_ reached the Chilean coast on October 29th, and all ships

filled up with coal; the _Canopus_ was due very shortly, and actually

sighted our ships steaming off as she arrived.

 

In order to carry out a thorough and effective examination of the

innumerable inlets that abound amongst the channels of Tierra del

Fuego, in addition to the bays and harbours on both coasts of South

America, it became necessary to divide up this squadron into separate

units. To expedite matters, colliers were sent to meet our ships, so

that valuable time should not be lost in returning to the base at the

Falkland Islands. The first fine day was seized to fill up with coal,

care always being taken to keep outside the three-mile territorial

limit.

 

It must have been a trying and anxious time for both officers and

men, while pursuing their quest, never knowing what force might

suddenly be disclosed in opening out one of these harbours. From the

weather usually experienced in these parts some idea may be formed of

the discomforts. An officer in the _Glasgow_, writing of this period,

says: "It blew, snowed, rained, hailed, and sleeted as hard as it

is possible to do these things. I thought the ship would dive under

altogether at times. It was a short sea, and very high, and doesn't

suit this ship a bit. The _Monmouth_ was rather worse, if anything,

though not quite so wet. We were rolling 35 degrees, and quite

useless for fighting purposes. The ship was practically a submarine."

 

Imagine, too, the position of the _Otranto_, searching these waters

by herself, without the least hope of being able to fight on level

terms with one of the enemy's light-cruisers. The words of one of her

officers sum up the situation: "We finally got past caring what might

happen," he said; "what with the strain, the weather, and the extreme

cold, we longed to find something and to have it out, one way or the

other."

 

When the depredations of the _Karlsruhe_ became more numerous, the

Admiralty dispatched ships--as could best be spared from watching

other trade routes--to reinforce Admiral Cradock's command. Thus,

what may be termed a second squadron was formed, consisting of

the _Canopus_, _Cornwall_, _Bristol_, the armed P. & O. liner

_Macedonia_, and the armed Orient liner _Orama_. This latter squadron

carried out a fruitless search during September and October for the

ever elusive _Karlsruhe_, but, so far as is known, did not succeed in

getting near her, for she was never actually sighted. In the absence

of orders from Admiral Cradock, the duties of Senior Naval Officer

of this northern squadron frequently involved the consideration of

matters of no little consequence. These duties primarily devolved

upon the shoulders of Captain Fanshawe of the _Bristol_, who was

succeeded on the arrival of the _Canopus_ by Captain Heathcoat Grant.

As the poor state of the engines of the _Canopus_ did not enable

her to steam at any speed, she remained at the base and directed

operations, forming a valuable link with her wireless. Orders,

however, were received from Admiral Cradock which necessitated her

sailing on October 10th in order to join his southern squadron, so

that Captain Fanshawe was again left in command.

 

On October 24th the _Carnarvon_ (Captain H. L. d'E. Skipwith)

arrived, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A. P. Stoddart, who, though

acting under the orders of Admiral Cradock, now took charge of the

sweeping operations necessitated by our quest. Admiral Stoddart had

previously been in command of the ships operating along our trade