"The French General with whom I had gone to the front went up to the wounded Prussian and told him he need not worry; he would be taken straight to the hospital and looked after as if he were one of our own men. The Prussian replied, 'We treated your wounded in exactly the same way.'
"It was a curious rivalry under these conditions; for you could hear the 'wizzle' of the German shells and the shuddering crack with which they exploded, dealing out death and destruction in the French trenches close by. We were in sight of a powerful French battery which was preparing to send its deadly messengers into the Prussian ranks.
"A little further on I marvelled that this exhibition of good will among men who were sworn foes should be possible amid such surroundings, until my eyes happened to wander down a lane where I saw a long row of wagons, each marked with a great red cross. Then I knew who had taught these brave men the lesson of humanity that will gradually, surely overthrow the reign of hate. Christ did not die in vain."
An excellent idea of the vicious attack by the Australian cruiser _Sydney_ that ended the career of the German cruiser _Emden_ is gained in a letter from an officer of the Indian army in Ceylon, where the _Emden's_ wounded were taken. He writes:
"The _Sydney_ was warned by a wireless message from the Cocos Islands station to put on full speed; she made twenty-nine knots. When she sighted the _Emden_ the latter was anchored, but came out to give battle.
"The _Emden_ got in the first three shots. Only one landed, as after that the _Sydney_ took care to keep out of range. The larger guns fired 600 rounds, and after one and a half hours of action, during which the ships covered fifty-six miles in manoeuvring, the _Sydney_ forced the _Emden_ to beach herself, her steering gear having broken.
"The _Sydney_ then put up a signal to surrender, but as all on deck except three had been killed this was not done. The _Sydney_ accordingly gave her two more broadsides as she lay on the beach.
"When the Germans succeeded in showing the white flag the _Sydney_ went off to sink the collier. After this she returned to the _Emden_ and sent parties to help the survivors. It is said the _Emden_ was a perfect shambles. She had nearly 200 killed.