fore
especially welcome to the people of England, who had been considerably
worried by a succession of minor naval losses inflicted by German
cruisers, submarines and mines. The action was gallantly fought on both
sides. The advantage in weight of metal and range of guns lay on the
side of the British, and the battle was decided at long range. Admiral
von Spee, refusing to surrender, in spite of the odds against him,
went down with his ship. The flagship of the victorious admiral, Sir
Frederick Sturdee, was the modern battle cruiser Invincible. A number of
the German sailors were rescued by the British after the engagement and
sent as prisoners of war to England. The total German loss was over
2,000 officers and men.

Fine strategy was shown by the British admiralty in sending Admiral
Sturdee to South American waters. He was ordered to sea from his desk as
chief of the British naval board, after Von Spee's Chilean victory in
November, and was placed in command of some of the fastest and most
powerful cruisers of the British fleet. The entire affair, from the time
the admiral left London until he succeeded in finding and sinking the
German squadron in the South Atlantic, took about a month--a truly
remarkable exploit.

RULERS AT THE FRONT

During December all the armies in the field were visited by the rulers
of their respective countries. The Czar spent some time with his troops
near the firing lines in Poland; King George of England visited the
British forces in Belgium and Northern France and conferred the Victoria
Cross ("For Valor") on a number of officers and men; and President
Poincare made several trips to the front, conferring decorations upon
General Joffre, commander-in-chief, and other French officers, for
distinguished service. The gallant and devoted soldier-king, Albert of
Belgium, remained steadfastly at the front with his troops, sharing all
their privations and dangers during the fierce fighting in Flanders.
Kaiser Wilhelm was also at the front, both east and west, but was forced
to return to Berlin early in the month by an attack of illness. On his
recovery after two weeks he again visited the western field headquarters
in Belgium, but in the first week of January, 1915, he was again
compelled by his ailment to make a hurried return to Berlin for medical
treatment and rest. British and German naval losses in the world war to
January 1, 1915, are shown in the following, compiled from admiralty
repor