THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 22 September 1914, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET

SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

SYDNEY, Sep. 21

Further news of the operations of the Australian fleet which reached Sydney to-day states that the wireless station on the island of Nauru has been destroyed. Two German civilian operators have been taken prisoners and brought to Sydney.

At Apia a week ago shots were exchanged between a portion of the German Pacific fleet and the British troops. Very little damage was done.

At Rabaul the natives are reported to be troublesome and to have had several conflicts with, the expeditionary force stationed there. Mines are laid round Rabaul. During the fighting 13 natives from New Britain, under German officers, fought like maniacs, rushing right up to the Axistralians' firing line, and showed no signs of fear.

When the Australian ships took possession of Herbertshohe the enemy used jagged bayonets. It is also alleged that they used dum-dums. In Ellwell's body a hole was bored large enough to admit a cocoanut, caused by a jagged bayonet.

The wireless station at the Caroline Islands has been destroyed.

It is stated that the Germans now have no installations in the* Pacific.

The whereabouts of the enemies' cruisers Gneisenau, Schamhorst, Nurnberg, Leipsig, and the gunboat, Geir, is known, ~ . ,

Fleet messages have been; continually interrupted. It is expected that shortly they will be in dire straits owing to lack of coal.'

Suva is thoroughly entrencKed by the expedition for 'a siege. :

Every effort is being made to save the wireless station.

I In connection with the loss of the submarine it is supposed she struck a I reef;