ABSTRACT

OBLIVIOUS of the strange turn of events which had been brought about by the resourceful genius of a gunnery lieutenant, the German Squadron pushed on, examining each of the big ports where a guard-ship was generally located. Needless to remark, their Intelligence Department had not been unaware of the gradual departure of various ships, and it was only the unlucky accident which had prevented the Pfiel from communicating the true cause of their wholesale con369centration in Atlantic waters to meet the Countess of Rutland. But the complete success of the surprise led to over-confidence, and von Blumenstein, the German admiral, though at a loss to understand the complete nakedness of the coast defences, did not feel inclined to waste time in attempting to learn any details of the Pfiel’s cruise from headquarters. The propinquity of so many land stations had upset his wireless communication, and so without any misgivings he proceeded on his way westward. After drawing Plymouth, without the sign of anything larger than a steam trawler in the Sound, he concluded that on hearing the news of the invasion, the few ships left must have fled further south, possibly in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar, with some vague idea of concentrating the little power into something approaching an effective squadron. And with this supposition in his head, he committed the first great tactical error of the campaign.