Both were very fast vessels, having a speed of 28 knots,
and they were designed to go 6,000 knots without needing replenishment
of their coal bunkers.
On the morning of August 5, after having bombarded some of the
coast cities of Algeria they found themselves cut off on the east
by a French fleet and on the west by an English fleet, but by a
very clever bit of stratagem they escaped. The band of the Goeben
was placed on a raft and ordered on a given moment to play the
German national airs after an appreciable period. Meanwhile, under
the cover of the night's darkness the two German ships steamed
away. After they had a good start the band on the raft began to
play. The British patrols heard the airs and immediately all British
ships were searching for the source of the music. To find a small
raft in mid-sea was an impossible task, and while the enemy was
engaged in it the two Germans headed for Messina, then a neutral
port, which they reached successfully. The Italian authorities
permitted them to remain there only twenty-four hours.
Before leaving they took a dramatic farewell, which received publicity
in the press of the whole world, and which was designed to lead the
British fleet commanders to believe that the Germans were coming
out to do battle. Instead, they headed for Constantinople. They
escaped all the ships of the British Mediterranean fleet with the
exception of the cruiser _Gloucester_.
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