German Scharnhorst-class armoured cruisers
An item dated Bordeaux, France 3rd referred to an official statement of the navy that on 22nd September the German cruisers Scharnhorst (1) and Gneisenau (2) destroyed the small gunboat Zelce (3) off Tapeete, Tahiti. She was however unarmed and unmanned since 14 September. Afterwards bombarded the German ships Tapeete before leaving. The item continued that all Pacific harbours were in British and French hands and that such actions of the German on short notice would be impossible and that cruisers of the allies would persecute them.
Notes
1. Laid down at the shipyard of Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany with yard number 175 on 3 January 1905, launched on 22 June 1906, commissioned on 24 October 1907 and sunk in a battle with the British fleet during the so-called Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914. Of the Schanhorst-class consisting of the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau. Preceded by the Roon-class and succeeded by the SMS Blücher.
2. Laid down at the shipyard of AG Weser, Bremen, Germany with yard number 144 on 28 December 1904, launched on 14 June 1906, building costs more as 19 million goldmarks, commissioned on 6 March 1908 and sunk in a battle with the British fleet during the so-called Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914. Preceded by the Roon-class and succeeded by the SMS Blücher.
3. The Zélée. Of the Surprise-class, used for patrolling off Tahiti and lost during the so-called bombardment of Papeete on 22 September 1914. Laid down at the Arsenal de Rochefort, France on 21 April 1898, launched on 18 October 1899 and completed on 28 July 1900.
