(November 5, 1914.)
German cruiser raid may take place. All Admiralty colliers should be concealed in unfrequented harbours. Be ready to destroy supplies useful to enemy and hide codes effectively on enemy ships being sighted. Acknowledge.
In a few days we learned that her continuous fast steaming had led to boiler troubles in the Canopus, and we had to direct her to the Falklands.
Admiralty to Canopus.
(November 9, 1914, 3.10 a.m.)
You are to remain in Stanley Harbour. Moor the ship so that the entrance is commanded by your guns. Extemporise mines outside entrance. Send down your topmasts and be prepared for bombardment from outside the harbour. Stimulate the Governor to organise all local forces and make determined defence. Arrange observation stations on shore, by which your fire on ships outside can be directed. Land guns or use boats’ torpedoes to sink a blocking ship before she reaches the Narrows. No objection to your grounding ship to obtain a good berth.
Should Glasgow be able to get sufficient start of enemy to avoid capture, send her on to the River Plate; if not, moor her inside Canopus.
Repair your defects and wait orders.[[87]]
The strain upon British naval resources in the outer seas, apart from the main theatre of naval operations, was now at its maximum and may be partially appreciated from the following approximate enumerations:—
Combination against von Spee, 30 ships.