H.M.S “Mersey” alongside the “Laconia,” off the Rufigi River
It was true that there were no other vessels in sight, but the Carmania had approached so as to head for the middle of the island, in order that any observer who might be on the look out should be unable to tell on which side the armed cruiser meant to pass. This meant, however, that the greater part of the island’s lee side was out of sight, and behind its shelter other enemy vessels such as the Karlsruhe or Dresden, might well be lying in wait—the visible vessel merely acting as a decoy to the approaching Britisher. That other ships were indeed present, became manifest almost at once, as a smaller steamer, a cargo vessel, as it appeared, of about 1,800 tons, was now seen backing away from behind the enemy ship. This vessel at once began steaming away to the south-east, probably in order to discover whether or no the Carmania was accompanied by consorts at present hidden by the land. There were also to add to the anxiety of the Carmania’s commanding officer, two more masts appearing above the side of the unidentified ship that obviously belonged to a vessel still out of sight. Fortunately, however, this proved to be only another small cargo boat, who very soon detached herself and steamed away to the north-west.
This left them up to the present only the one big vessel as an opponent, a vessel of some 18,500 tons, and an armed cruiser like the Carmania. It promised, therefore, as regards numbers at least, to be an equal fight, and in preparation for it dinner was ordered for all hands that could be excused duty, for the hour of 11.30, in accordance with the old naval principle—food before fighting. Meanwhile every endeavour was being made to identify the mysterious enemy, and the conclusion arrived at was that she must be the Berlin, a German vessel of 17 knots. She was, as a matter of fact, although those on the Carmania were not to learn this for several days, the Cap Trafalgar, the latest and finest ship of the Hamburg South American Line—a vessel of 18 knots that had as yet only made one voyage. She had been built with three funnels, one of them being a dummy one used only for ventilation, and this had been done away with, reducing the number to two. She had been in Buenos Aires when war broke out, and had left that port, as it chanced on the very day that the Carmania had sailed from Liverpool, her destination being unknown and her cargo one of coal.
Torpedoing of the “Ivernia”
The Carmania had by this time gone to “General Quarters,” and all on board were ready for the encounter. The largest ensigns floated both from the flagstaff aft and the mastheads, and the Cap Trafalgar now ran up the white flag with the black cross of the German Navy. It was still, however, not quite certain that the enemy was armed, and it was therefore necessary that the usual formalities should be attended to. Well within range, Captain Grant ordered Lieutenant Murchie to fire a shot across her bow, and the shell, very skilfully aimed, dropped about 50 yards ahead of this. The reply was immediate, the enemy firing two shells which only just cleared the Carmania’s bridge, and dropped into the water about 50 yards upon her starboard side.
The fight had now begun in earnest, and the firing on both sides was of a high order, although the first round or two from the Carmania fell short, while those of the Cap Trafalgar erred a little in the opposite direction. Quite soon, however, hits were being made by both sides, and soon one of the Carmania’s gun layers lay dead, his No. 2 dying, and almost the whole of the gun’s crew wounded.
For the first few minutes of the duel, only three of the Carmania’s guns could be brought to bear, but soon by porting a little she was able to bring another gun into action, and some very successful salvoes at once followed. The British gun-layers, firing as coolly as if they had been at practice, were now hitting with nearly every shot, and the vessels were closing one another rapidly, when at about 5,500 yards the new and sinister sound of machine-gun firing began to thread the din of the bursting shells. By this time a well placed enemy shell had carried away the Carmania’s control, so that it was no longer possible for ranges to be given from the bridge to the guns by telephone, and it was evidently the Cap Trafalgar’s intention to disable the bridge entirely, shell after shell hitting its neighbourhood, or only just missing it. It was at once clear to those on board that if the enemy’s machine-gun could now get the range, the guns and ammunition parties on the unprotected decks of the Carmania would be inevitably mown down. The order was therefore given to port, and the Carmania wore away in order to increase the range. This brought the enemy astern and another of the Carmania’s guns into action, and for a brief moment she had five guns bearing upon the Cap Trafalgar. Still porting, however, the guns on that side ceased to fire, and the turn came for the starboard gunners to take their hand. The enemy now also ported, and as she did so, it became clear that she was visibly listing to starboard; she had already been set on fire foreward, but this fire seemed to have been extinguished.
