Naval art prints
of the Carmania and antique naval art prints by W
L Wyllie of the Carmania and Cap Trafalgar. This first world war
naval action, shown in great detail in these prints and rare old book plates.
On the morning of the 14th September, 1914; off the western end of the
island of Trindade in the South Atlantic, the SS Cap Trafalgar, 18710
tons, was surprised in the act of coaling by the British cruiser HMS
Carmania, 19524 tons, Capt. N. Grant R.N. At first the Cap Trafalgar
made off at high speed before later turning to engage the enemy.
Both ships began firing at 7500 yards, the larger 4.7 inch guns of the
Carmania doing great damage to the hull of the Cap Trafalgar. The
fire from the Cap Trafalgar was at first too high, but as the ships closed
she began to score, setting the Carmania on fire under the forebridge and
cutting her main water pipe so that the fire could not be brought under
control. After an engagement lasting one hour and forty minutes the
Cap Trafalgar was heavily on fire and sinking. Towards the end of
the action she tried to escape but her engines were not equal to the
strain and she finally capsized to starboard before sinking by the
head. Five lifeboats crowded with survivors were picked up by the
German colliers, the Carmania being still on fire and too badly mauled to
render assistance. The fierceness of the fight may be judged by the
fact that the Carmania was hit by 79 projectiles. All her
navigational instruments and communications gear were destroyed and she
was escorted to the port of Gibraltar in a very battered condition by the
cruiser HMS Cornwall. The casualties were 9 killed and 26 wounded on the Carmania.
Only 279 of the Cap Trafalgar's original 423 man crew reached Buenos Aries
where they were interned. For this action the Carmania was
commemorated by the British Navy League who presented her with a silver
plate from the dinner service of Viscount Nelson.
HMS Carmania : Length, 675 feet; Beam, 72 feet; Speed, 18 knots;
Powered, Steam Turbines; Displacement, 19524 tons; Firepower, 8 x 4.7 inch
guns. Cap Trafalgar: Length, 590 feet; Beam, 72 feet; Speed, 18 knots;
Powered, Triple-expansion Engines & L.P. Turbine; Displacement, 18710
tons; Firepower, 2 x 4.1 inch guns and 6 pom-poms.
