CHAPTER II
PATROLLING THE PACIFIC
We can hold our own–
'Gainst us in vain all envious shafts are hurled
If still we be
The Sons of Freedom, 'neath one flag unfurled,
Co-heirs of Fame and Wardens of the Sea,
One tongue, one race, one heart before the world.
George Essex Evans.
Whilst the new armies were still training, the fleet of Australia put to sea, joined the New Zealand fleet, and together they proceeded to co-operate with the British naval forces in sweeping the Pacific for German merchantmen, and hunting down the few elusive German cruisers that were prowling the seas thereabouts in search of prey. Three of these cruisers in particular, the Gneisenau, the Scharnhorst, and the Emden, were dodging all pursuit, successfully capturing and sinking British and French trading and passenger ships, and bombarding the coast towns of some of our South Sea Islands; and the Emden, before it could be rounded up and destroyed, had gone as far afield as India and shelled Madras. "The German cruisers are playing a game of hide-and-seek on the broad expanse of the Pacific," an Australian naval officer wrote home, "and are avoiding a trial of strength with the vessels of the Australian fleet. We have been looking for them ever since war was declared, and are more than anxious to have a go at them, but they keep out of the way. The task of definitely locating them and getting to grips is an enormous one. The Pacific is so wide, and there are so many thousands of islets that we could pass within five minutes of them and yet fail to be aware of their presence. Once they are cornered, it will be a fine fight–a fight to a finish.... Once we thought we had the German boats bottled up in Simpson Haven. Orders were issued to the destroyers to ferret them out, and in the dead of night the three little boats, with all lights out and crews at their stations, crept into the harbour, which might have been mined. However, after sweeping round the bay we found our quarry was not there. We landed a small party which smashed up the telegraphic instruments, then dashed out again."