THE "EMDEN"
"The Emden," said Lord Hastings to Jack and Frank, "has probably
done more damage to British, French and Russian shipping than all
of the other German raiders and fleets at large."
"Has she accomplished anything lately?" asked Frank.
"Yes," replied Lord Hastings, "she has indeed. I suppose you
have not heard the story of her raids?"
"No," replied both lads, and Jack added: "Will you tell us what
you know of her?"
"Well," began Lord Hastings, "the Emden is commanded by Captain
Karl von Mueller, a courteous gentleman and a competent officer--also,
by the way, in times of peace, a friend of mine."
"Then you know him well?" asked Frank.
"Very well," returned Lord Hastings. "He has visited me more
than once, and I have been his guest in Berlin. But to proceed.
The first report of the activity of the Emden was received on
August 6, when word came that the German cruiser had sunk the
steamer City of Winchester the day before.
"The Emden has contributed to the history of the war one of its
most remarkable chapters. For sheer audacity and success it has
few parallels. Twenty-two ships, mostly British, have been sunk
and one has been captured by this German cruiser, rightly named
'The Terror of the Sea.'
"Since early in August the Emden has been at work. Most of this
time she has been preying on shipping in the Indian Ocean. The
vessels destroyed by Captain von Mueller had a total value of
about $4,000,000, exclusive of their cargoes. The Emden's
largest guns, according to the best figures obtainable, are only
4-inch, and of these she has ten. Her speed of 24.5 knots is her
greatest asset, but the Sylph has the heels of her. She has been
able to run down merchant ships with ease and then escape from
larger but slower vessels that pursued her. British, Russian,
French and Japanese warships in the East have been trying for
weeks to put an end to her, but without success."
"But," Frank broke in, "how has she been able to keep to sea
month after month without replenishing her coal supply?"
"That," said Lord Hastings, "is a mystery that is as yet
unsolved. It is assumed, however, that she has obtained
sufficient food and fuel to meet her needs from captured ships.
In at least one instance this is known to have been done. The
captain of the British steamer Exford, captured by the Emden,
informed his owners that Captain von Mueller said that before he
sank the Exford he intended to take on board his cruiser the
7,000 tons of steam coal with which the Exford was laden."
"Captain von Mueller must indeed be a capable officer," said Jack.
"He is," said Lord Hastings. "But to continue. After sinking
the City of Winchester the Emden steamed into the Bay of Bengal,
five days later, and sent two more British vessels to the bottom.
Within three days she had sunk four vessels there. She was
accompanied by the Markommania, a converted liner, as a collier.
The collier was sunk off Sumatra October 16 by a British cruiser.
"Leaving the Bay of Bengal, the Emden sank three British steamers
in the Indian Ocean on September 14. September 22 she appeared
off Madras and shelled the city, and, extinguishing her lights,
disappeared when the forts replied. Then she renewed her
activity in the vicinity of Rangoon, where more British ships
fell to her prey. Where she is now I don't know."
"How large a vessel is she?" asked Jack, greatly interested.
"She has a complement Of 361 men," replied Lord Hastings. "Her
armament, besides the ten 4-inch guns I referred to before,
consists of eight five pounders and four machine guns. She is
also understood to be equipped with two submerged 17.7-inch
torpedo tubes. She displaces 3,600 tons. She is 387 feet long
and has a beam of 43 1/3 feet. She was built in 1908. That's
about all I can tell you about her."
"And Captain von Mueller," said Frank, "is he an elderly man?"
"No," replied Lord Hastings, "I should hardly call him that. I
don't know his age, of course, but he is under forty. I
understand that the Germans are bailing him as the modern Nelson
and Paul Jones, in memory of two of the greatest sea fighters of
all time."
"Well they may," declared Jack, "for he must be a man of
exceptional ability. I should like to see him."
"So you may, with good fortune," said Lord Hastings. "It is my
hope to see him again before he has done further damage to
England."
Lord Hastings' account of the brief history of the Emden made
quite an impression on Frank and Jack. The brief though active
career of probably the greatest of German sea fighters interested
them greatly, as it should all young readers.
The boys talked much of the gallant German captain as the Sylph
II continued on her course from the Adriatic into the sunny
Mediterranean once more, through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea,
after a stop for coal at Port Said, and on into the warm waters
of the Indian Ocean.
And more news of the Emden was not to be long forthcoming. Lord
Hastings had no means of knowing just in what part of the sea the
Emden might be in so, after two days of fruitless cruising, he
put into the port of Penang, on Malacca Straits. Here Lord
Hastings received first-hand information concerning the
whereabouts of the German "Terror of the Sea."
There were two Russian cruisers, two French destroyers and one
British vessel in the harbor, under the guns of the little fort,
when the Sylph steamed in. These vessels also had been in search
of the Emden, and had put in for coal.
The commanders of the various ships exchanged visits. The Emden
was practically the sole topic of their conversation. The
Russian commander had just returned aboard his own ship after a
visit to Lord Hastings. There came a call from the lookout-on
the Sylph.
"Cruiser coming into the harbor, sir!"
Lord Hastings, Frank and Jack hurried to the bridge.
"She shows no colors," muttered Frank. "Wonder who she is?"
"Maybe the Emden come to pay a little social call," said Jack.
"No," said Lord Hastings; "this cruiser has four smokestacks; the
Emden has but three."
"They could easily rig up another one," said Jack.
"Lord Hastings, some way I feel that all is not right."
"Nonsense," replied Lord Hastings.
There was the sound of a shot from one of the Russian cruisers.
"She'll show her colors now," said Lord Hastings.
All glanced toward the approaching vessel. A flag was run tip
the masthead. Lord Hastings made it out immediately.
"Japanese," he said, unconsciously breathing easier.
Slowly the cruiser came closer, heading right for the other ships
of war in the harbor. Lord Hastings returned to his cabin and
Frank followed him.
Jack continued to gaze over the rail at the cruiser. Suddenly,
why he never knew, he rushed hurriedly after his commander.
"I am sure that is not a Japanese cruiser, sir," he cried. "I
don't know why, but something tells me it is an enemy."
"Nonsense," said Lord Hastings again. "You are a bit nervous.
That's all."
"No, sir, it isn't that," replied Jack. "I--"
He was interrupted by the boom of a single big gun followed by a
heavy outbreak of cannonading. Lord Hastings jumped to his feet
and dashed to the bridge, Jack and Frank close at his heels.
They glanced quickly at the supposed Japanese cruiser. But the
Japanese ensign had been hauled down, and now there floated from
the cruiser the flag of Germany! And the cruiser's fourth smoke
stack had come down.
"The Emden!" cried Lord Hastings.
Bugles were sounding on all the allied ships, of war in the
harbor, calling the men to quarters. Caught thus unprepared, the
allied vessels were at an immense disadvantage.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion aboard one of the Russian
cruisers, and a moment later it burst into flames. Now the other
ships poured broadsides into the Emden, but she stuck to her
post. One of the two French destroyers suddenly dived,
head-first, into the sea, one of the Emden's submerged torpedoes
having dealt her a deathblow.
A shell sped over the stern of the Sylph, but did no damage.
Then, calmly, almost ignoring the remaining ships of the allied
fleet, the Emden put about, and made off. Her raid had been
successful, and it was another victory for the Kaiser.
The Emden continued to rain shells at her foes until she was out
of range. Not minded to take any unnecessary risk, Lord Hastings
let the Emden get well out of range, before he gave the command
for the Sylph to follow.
Then, stripped for action, the Sylph set out upon the trail of
the German cruiser.
"We are on the trail at last," said Lord Hastings, "and on the
trail we'll remain until the Emden has been sent to the bottom."
He turned to Jack. "Hereafter," he said, "I'll place faith in
your premonitions."
The Sylph kept just far enough in the rear of the Emden to be out
of range. After three hours, it became apparent that the
commander of the German cruiser was aware that he was being
followed. He slowed down, waiting the Sylph to come within range
and give battle.
But while Lord Hastings was a brave man, he had no idea of
accepting battle now. For had the day gone against him, the
Emden would have been able to disappear once more. With the
superior speed of the Sylph, Lord Hastings knew that he could
remain on the trail, using his wireless to pick up some British
vessel big enough to put an end to the "Terror of the Sea."
Accordingly, the Sylph also slowed down. After waiting in vain
for the little scout cruiser to approach closer, the Emden again
set out on her course, at full speed. The Sylph also quickened
her pace, and the Emden was unable to shake her off.
Then the Emden slowed down again. So did the Sylph. The
wireless operator approached Lord Hastings with a message.
Lord Hastings read it aloud:
"Remain where you are till I come up, or I shall sink you.
Signed, von Mueller."
Followed by the two lads Lord Hastings made his way to the
wireless room, and ticked off this message himself:
"The Emden is doomed. Signed, Hastings."