File No. 763.72111/1132
The Ambassador in Chile (Fletcher) to the Secretary of State
Santiago, November 7, 1914.
[Received December 12.]
No. 550]
Sir: I have the honor to report, as I have already done briefly by telegraph, that the German squadron under the command of Graf von Spee arrived in Valparaiso on Tuesday morning last. This squadron was composed of—
- (1)
- Scharnhorst: Armored cruiser; 11,420 tons displacement; length, 449½ feet; beam, 70¾ feet; depth, 24½ feet; 27,750 h. p.; constructed in Hamburg; launched in 1906 and completed in 1911; armament, 8 guns 8.2", 6 guns 5.9", 4 torpedo tubes; speed, 22.5 knots.
- (2)
- Gneisenau: Armored cruiser; sister-ship of the Scharnhorst.
- (3)
- Nürnberg: Cruiser; 3,396 tons displacement; length, 354¼feet; beam, 43½ feet; depth, 15¾ feet; 13,200 h. p.; constructed in Kiel; launched in 1906 and completed in 1908; armament, 10 guns of 4.1", 8 guns 2.1", 2 torpedo tubes; speed, 23.5 knots.
They reported that they met on the previous Sunday the British squadron under Admiral Craddock near the island of Santa Maria, off Coronel. The British squadron was composed of—
- (1)
- Good Hope: Armored cruiser; 14,100 tons displacement; length, 500 feet; beam, 71 feet; depth, 26 feet; 31,071 h. p.; constructed in Govan; launched in 1901 and completed in 1902; armament, 2 guns 9.2", 16 guns 6", and 15 smaller guns, 2 torpedo tubes; speed, 23.5 knots.
- (2)
- Monmouth: Armored cruiser; 9,800 tons displacement; length,440 feet; beam, 66 feet; depth, 24½ feet; 22,000 h. p.; constructed in Glasgow; launched in 1901 and completed in 1903; armament, 14 guns 6", 19 smaller guns and 2 torpedo tubes; speed, 22.58 knots.
- (3)
- Glasgow: light cruiser; 4,800 tons displacement; length, 430feet; beam, 47 feet; depth, 15¼ feet; 22,472 h. p.; constructed in Govan; launched in 1909 and completed in 1910; [Page 697] armament, 2 guns 6", 10 guns 4", 5 smaller guns and 2 torpedo tubes; speed, 25.8 knots.
- (4)
- Otranto: Auxiliary cruiser of about 12,000 tons; armament unknown.
The British ships were sighted at about 6:30 p.m. and immediately engaged. The action was fought in a storm and lasted about one hour. The Germans, with guns of longer range, concentrated their fire on the British flagship Good Hope and the Monmouth. The latter was sunk and all on board perished. The Good Hope, badly damaged, made off in the darkness, but suffered a serious explosion, and newspaper reports state that the British Admiralty have admitted that the Good Hope also was lost. The Glasgow and Otranto seemed to have made good their escape.
In connection with this naval action, charges have been made in the London press and reechoed in the newspapers of the Argentine to the effect that the Chilean Government had failed to preserve a strict neutrality. These charges have been vehemently refuted and resented by the newspapers of Chile. To give the Government an opportunity to clear itself of these imputations, questions were asked in the Senate, and I have the honor to enclose a translation of the reply of the Minister for Foreign Affairs thereto.1 This official statement has been communicated to the British Government and published in the London papers, and I am informed that the British Government has expressed itself as entirely satisfied with the conduct and attitude of this Government in the matter. Many Englishmen believe, however, that information and supplies have been furnished the Germans in violation of Chilean regulations, but this they admit has been done in spite of the honest efforts of the Chilean officials to enforce a strict observance of neutrality.
I may mention also the case of the auxiliary Prince Eitel. This German transport anchored in the harbor of Valparaiso on the afternoon of November 5. Not having departed within the twenty-four-hour limit on the following day, the port authorities sent an officer on board to notify the captain that the ship must depart at once. This order was at once complied with. A local paper stated that the ship had remained in the port about one hour more than the time limit.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩