THE PACIFIC CABLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2309, 17 November 1914, Page 7

THE PACIFIC CABLE

HOW IT WAS CUT

RAID ON FANNING ISLAND

NURNBERG'S LOOT

(By TekffraDh—Press Association.)

Auckland, November 16. laa damage done to tho cables.and equipment at the Pacific Cable Board's station on Fanning Island on the morning of September 8 has been repaired, and communication is now being maintained as usual between Australasia and Canada. Repairs were completed nearly a-fortnight ago, traffic being resumed as usual ion the morning of Aovember 6, but in order to protect tho repair steamer Iris, the secretary of the Post Office made\a request that no annouhcoinente should be published until sufficient time had elapsed to enable the movements of the Iris to bo kept secrete

When tho cables were cut ten weeks ago warning messages that were received by Suva and Bamfield Creek stations explained that interruption was due to a raid by the German cruiser Nurnberg. No information could then

be gamed regarding the extent of the damage, and arrangements were therefore made on the presumption that the whole equipment of tho station would have to be replaced. Preparations for the restoration of the cable were made ,in Auckland by Mr. John Milward, manager in. the Pacific for the Cable Board, and at 7 a.m. on October 7, the Iris left Auckland with all necessary instruments, and also material for the construction of temporary buildings. In the meantime, tho staff at Fanning Island had effected temporary repairs to the Suva cable, and on September 23. furnished a report of the raid and of the daniago that had been done. Communication between Suva and Fanning Island has been maintained since that, time, but as tho cable to Canada had been cut in deep water, attenipte to restore it had to be abandoned.

Leaving Suva at ,6 p.m., on October 18, the lria arrived at Fanning Island at daybreak on October 26, but the weather.was very rough, and repairs were not commenced till four days later, When the sea moderated, broken ends of the cables were recovered and permanent repairs, were completed. The damaged instruments were then replaced bv 6pare ones taken from. Auck< land ana Suva, and werk was resumed at 7.15 a.m. on November 6. On her return voyage, the lria reached Suva at 11 a.m. on Saturday, the trip both ways having been uneventful. Several accounts of the German, cruiser's visit to Fanning Island have been published, end additional particulars have been obtained since cable was . repaired. According to account given by the staff the raid was made by two boats , crews the men

being fully armed, while machine-guns were mounted in the bows of the boats. Some members of the. staff met the

beats as they touched the beach and as the Nurnberg and her companion collier had both flown the French flag they were greatly 'surprised when they wore covered with revolvers and informed they were prisoners of the Germans. Tho German officers hurried to the office and ordoxed the operators to cease sending messages threatening to shoot anyone who disobeyed. They then proceeded to destroy the instruments and seized all code books, private documonts, and tho papers , belonging to tho High Commissioner's offioe. " " ' ■■/ •'

In the meantime men who had remained with the boats, destroyed the cables with charges of dynamite, while others dynamited the refrigerating and electric lighting plant and cut down tho flagstaff, apparently thinking. that they were used as wireless telegraph apparatus. No restraint was placed on the staff when itwas apparent that ho resistance would be offered and the Germans even expressed regret that it should have been their duty to disturb the island and do so much damage. ■They stated it had been, intended to destroy the. cablo offices, but owing to the proximity of private dwellings and the certainty of damaging them if explosives wero used they decided not to interfere.with the buildinge\ After shaking'hands with tho members of the staff the Germans .withdrew but evidently having learned from documents that one of the precautions to be taken on the island should war break out was to bury all.spare instruments and .other valuables, tho party returned. A demand was made that all buried property should be surrendered and the staff was compelled to hand over all spare instruments, 25 rifles, 20,000 rounds of' - ammunition, £750 in gold, and £35 worth of stamps. The Germans then made a final departure, having given a , promise that they would not return. /