The northern ports of the Central Powers were closed to commerce
with all but the Scandinavian countries, and the oversea German
possessions, where they were accessible to naval attack, had been
taken from her. The German and Austrian flags had been swept from
the seven seas, with the exception of those on three or four German
cruisers that now and then showed themselves capable of sinking
a merchantman.
In the four engagements of importance which had been fought by the
end of January, 1915, the British had been the victors in three--the
battles of the Bight of Helgoland, the Falkland Islands, and the
third German raid of January 24, 1915--the Germans had been victors
in one--the fight off Coronel.
British and other allied ships were unable to inflict damage on
the coast defenses of Germany, but the latter in two successful
raids had been able to bombard British coast towns, offsetting
in a way the loss of over-sea dominions.
[Illustration: SEA FIGHTS AND THE CRUISES OF GERMAN RAIDERS
THE EMDEN AND THE SYDNEY. FALKLAND AND NORTH SEA BATTLES. SEARCHLIGHTS.
SUBMARINES. WRECKS. SHIPPING ARTILLERY
Among the modern inventions which insure a battleship's efficiency
is the searchlight, which must sweep not only the sea but the sky
to find the enemy]
[Illustration: The German steamer "Walkuere" sunk in the harbor of
Papeete, Tahiti, when the German cruisers "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau"
shelled the town]
[Illustration: The Australian cruiser "Sydney" which caught and
destroyed the raider "Emden" near the Cocos Islands]
[Illustration: The famous German raider "Emden" beached on one of
the Cocos Islands after being wrecked by the "Sydney's" shells]
[Illustration: Rescuing drowning sailors after the naval battle
near the Falkland islands, in which the "Scharnhorst," "Gneisenau,"
"Nurnberg" and "Leipzig" were sunk]
[Illustration: Canadian soldiers shipping a rapid-fire gun, on
embarking at Montreal for England, to take their part in the Great
War]
[Illustration: The interior of a submarine, showing torpedo tubes
and batteries.
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