This week in the harbour, 100 years ago:

Four valuable prizes

The Falmouth Packet reported: “ Four valuable prizes have fallen to the lot of Great Britain.”

The magnificent four-masted German barque Goldbek bound from Tacoma to London with a cargo of timber was captured off the Isles of Scilly by a British cruiser. A prize crew was placed onboard and the vessel was brought to Falmouth harbour.

Within a few hours the German sailing ship Orlanda, 2,065 tons, from Mejillones, Chile with a cargo of nitrate was escorted into the harbour having been captured by a British warship.

Then followed the German schooner Caracas laden with timber from Capeche, Mexico, which was detained by a French cruiser in the Channel.

The fourth prize, the German ship Fritz laden with nitrate was bound from Caleta Buena, Chile to Falmouth for orders when captured. 

Port officials said: “All four vessels have prize crews onboard and are exceedingly valuable captures especially those with nitrate cargoes.”

 

Cape Horner tries to evade capture

With every stitch of canvas set the four–masted German barque Ponape had a bone in her teeth speeding up the Channel when challenged by the Royal Navy battleship HMS Majestic in September 1914.

Laden with nitrate loaded in Iquique, Ponape was 80 days into her voyage to London when she encountered the British warship.

Despite warnings given by the Majestic, Captain Hann of the Ponape was hell bent on trying to escape.

Majestic fired blank shots across the bows of the Cape Horner to make the mighty sailing ship surrender.

It was not until the captain of the warship fired a live shot across the barque’s bows and signaled: “Stop or we will sink you” did the Ponape reduce sail and surrender.

Towed into port by HMS Majestic the Ponape was later towed to the River Fal.