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[Page 47]
1914
Japan having declared war against Germany, most of her ships were operating in the Pacific. They did not come further south than the Marshall Islands, so we saw nothing of them. Suva had built up defence works round the wireless station. Barbed wire entanglements & trenches were built in the most advantageous positions. It now appears that when we were on our way to annex Samoa at the end of August, the wireless station at Suva had heard the German cruisers very strong on the wireless, the detector giving their distance about 300 miles. Naturally, in Fiji they were much perturbed, knowing that we were at least 1000 miles away, but the authorities were cute enough for the situation. They sent out a half coded message at half strength, which they knew the Germans would decipher, & which read "Hold out until daylight, when I shall arrive with help. Patey" Apparently the Germans got this message, supposed to be from the Admiral to Suva, & they actually turned away. What might possibly have been a tragedy was averted. After 4 days stay in harbour all the big ships left, leaving the colliers, storeships, 2 destroyers, & the submarine A.E.2. behind.
Oct. 19
The "Sydney" was dispatched to Sydney under sealed orders, & we, "Montcalm" & "Encounter" proceeded to Savaii, one of the Samoan islands. On the second day out the wind was on our starboard beam & a big swell