erward learned, was due to
the fact that the Australian cruiser's range-finder was put out of
action by one of the only two shots the Germans got home. However, the
British gunners soon overcame any difficulties that this may have caused
and settled down to their work, so that before long two of the Emden's
funnels had been shot away. She also lost one of her masts quite early
in the fight. Both blazing away with their big guns, the two cruisers
disappeared below the horizon, the Emden being on fire.

After the great naval duel passed from our sight and we could turn our
attention to the portion of the German crew that had been left behind,
we found that these men had put off in their boats obedient to the
signal of the siren, but when their ship steamed off without them they
could do nothing else but come ashore again. On relanding they lined up
on the shore of the lagoon, evidently determined to fight to the finish
if the British cruiser sent a party ashore, but the dueling cruiser had
disappeared, and at 6 P.M. the German raiders embarked on the old
schooner Ayessa, which belongs to Mr. Ross, the "uncrowned king" of the
islands. Seizing a quantity of clothes and stores, they sailed out, and
have not been seen since.

Early the next morning, Tuesday, Nov. 10, we saw the Sydney returning,
and at 8:45 A.M. she anchored off the island. From various members of
the crew I gathered some details of the running fight with the Emden.
The Sydney, having an advantage in speed, was able to keep out of range
of the Emden's guns and to bombard her with her own heavier metal. The
engagement lasted eighty minutes, the Emden finally running ashore on
North Keeling Island and becoming an utter wreck.

Only two German shots proved effective. One of these failed to explode,
but smashed the main range finder and killed one man. The other killed
three men and wounded fourteen.

Each of the cruisers attempted to torpedo the other, but both were
unsuccessful, and the duel proved a contest in hard pounding at long
range. The Sydney's speed during the fighting was twenty-six knots and
the Emden's twenty-four knots, the British ship's superiority of two
knots enabling her to choose the range at which the battle should be
fought, and to make the most of her superior guns.

The Sydney left here at 11 A.M. Tuesday in the hope of picking up any of
the survivors of the Buresk, the collier that had been in attendance on
the Emden and was sunk af