SOLVED AT LAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11332, 9 March 1915, Page 4

SOLVED AT LAST.

THE "KOENIGSBERG" MYSTERY.

BOTTLED UP AND SUNK.

(Fkum Oen Oorkespovrent.] LONDON. .(unitary 10. The mystery of what, happened _ to the German cruiser Koonigsuerg; attci" she was bottled tip in the R-eHgi River on the east coast ot Atriea is solver! at Inst-. That, .site could not- escape, owing to ves-els having hr-en sunk ni the only navigable channel ot tlto river, teas announced hy the Admiralty about the same time as the news ot tlto Emden s fate was issued, but until t.ow hp have not- beoti permitted to know what, further stops were, taken t.o make sure that the Ko«nigst>erg would never attain vox our mercantile marine, and at, the same time relieve our warships on the African coast of the necessity for keeping an eye upon tho Refi;ii River. "Whilst, she remained in being tiiere was ahi ays a possibility that Gorman ingenuity might discover a method of clearing the channel ,sufficiently to enable their ship to reach tho open sea again, unless British sh:ps wore kept on hand to frustrate their efforts. According, howeve-, to Captain Willett, who was in command of one of tho vessels .sacrificed in the " bottling up operation, tiie Koenigsberg was eventually battered into wreckage by the big guns of the ships which ran iter to earth.

Captain Willett's story of the chase and destruction of this German raider form quite a thrilling chapter in the history of the war at sea. It reems that on the evening when war was declared the Koen:'gsberg was iu the harbour of Dar-es-Salaam. and two British cruisers lay outside. The lvoenigsberg steamed out to sea at midnight, and it was not until several hours later that the British received the news that hostilities had begun.

The Koenigsberg rapidly got to work amongst our shipping, and eventually she attacked and placed hors de combat H.M.S. Pegasus at Zanzibar, while the boilers of tho Pegasus wore being repaired. Several vessels were soon on her track, but she evaded detection until one morning a steamer was seen coming out of the R-efigi River, which enters the Indian Ocean just behind the Mafia Islands. The movements of this steamer aroused suspicion, and she was chased. She doubled back up the river, but not before she wrs recognised as the German. East Africa liner Somali. Soon after the Koenigsberg was located higher up the stream. Botti were shelled bv the British cruisers, and the Somali was quickly set on fire and sunk. The Roenigsberg. however, got out of range and sight by working her way up the river. " BOTTLED UP." Our cruiser could not follow far eno,ugh up-to shell her effectively, so the British commander decided to •'bottle up'' the enemy's craft. To effect this purpose, Captain Willetts boat, the Newbridge, was requisitioned. This vessel had just taken, a cargo of coal to Zanzibar, and still had 1500 tons on board, which were afire. Her cm n crew were replaced by naval officers and bluejackets. Captain \\ illett, however, remained on board, but Lieutenant Lavingtou, late of the Pegasus, was in charge. Arrangements were made to protect those 011 board from the gunfire of the enemy. Sand bags were placed forward and sacks of coal piled up aft, while a steel sheet was used as a/ protection for the steering gear and en-gine-room. These preparations wore carried out with great secrecy, but the Germans evident I v received information of the intonated visit o'f the Newbridge, and its object. Conseqnentb they had made every preparation to give those oa board a particularly warm reception. There is a small island at the entrance of the river, and a number of tho Koonigsberg's crew had entrenched themselves here, supported with Maxims and qu iokiiroivs, Janded lrom their ship. The Newbridge went ( in under her own steam, ajid the Germans opened fire as soon as ahe came within range, but. in spite of a hail of bullets and snra-pnel, the only casualty was caused by a shell exploding in one of the sacks ol : coal, and a. seaman got badly peppered with minute pieces. After the Newbridge had been manoeuvred into position lor blocking the channel her anchors were let go, and the ship was then, securely moored into position. Tlu'ee charges of gMn cotton were placed in tho hold, electric wire being led therefrom to the turret deck and connected with one of the launches that accompanied the ship 011 her mission. Previous to exploding the charges water was let into the port tank so that she took a list up stream, and would sink in that position, thus offering the greatest resistance to tho current, which would' rapidlv silt up the sand over the vessel. "When all was in readiness the little crew took to the boats, the guncotton charges were exploded, and tho ship filled and sank.

A PERILOUS JOURNEY. Then began the most perilous pare of the undertaking. The launches and boats had to run the gauntlet of the Germans lying in wait, for them, at point-bhuik range, a,s they proceeded to rejoin the British cruisers. The first, victim, was the cox of one of the launches. He was struck in the shoulder by a dum-dum bullet, whicn came out on the other side of his body, the whole of his left breast being torn away. His death was instantaneous Other casualties soon followed'; the " cox '' of the other launch being killed with a bullet right through his head. Another dum-dum tore the muscles from the arms of one of the artificers. In all, «jight. men from the warships iiere pounded and two killed, and the Duplex, a cable ship which accompanied the Newbridge, had five J'.««ear« killed, whilst, a lieutenant of the Royal Naval Reserve, who was 011 board the Duplex, had the sinews and muscles of one arm ehot away. HOW THE FAD CA?\IE. A day or two later the Duplex went, ashore on a reel. After Iveint; lowed off she was found to be badly holed, so she was also sunk in the fairway to complete the hottling-up process. Three vessels won* now sunk in the channl, the Somali lay furthest up stream, the Newbridge and Duplex lying inside the reef nearest, the sea., and as there is only one navigable channel of sufficient- for a crti'ser, the Koenigsiterg's fate seemed completely sealed, so far as escape from the river was concerned. But. tlie cruiser captains were not taking any risks, and decide!. if possible, to make .niisnriir.ee doubly sure by destroying tier. And' this is bow her end canio, five days la-ter. The German cruiser had so effectively concealed herself amongst the palms by actually covering herself with foliage, that it; wais impossible to locate the exact position. To get over_ this difficulty the Kinfauns Castle arrived 011 the "scene with !U1 aeroplane. This was soon soaring over the river, and the. position of the hidden cruiser conveyed to the "British _bv means _ of smoke bombs. Very quickly the big gurus of our ships got the ranee, and battered the Koenigsbcrg till she wa* sunk.