" Otranto," which could only go 16 knots, it is possible that he might have attempted to fall back on the " Canopus," for the rest of his squadron was faster than von Spee's and he could have slipped away to the S. during the night and picked up the " Canopus " next morning. But this would have meant forsaking one of his ships, and Cradock was not the man to take this course. He decided to fight, and sent the " Canopus " a message to this effect at 6:18 P.M. At 6:20 P.M. he turned towards the enemy, but von Spec turned away an equal amount. He was now about two points before Cradock 's beam, biding his time and waiting for the sun to set.
The " Otranto " asked if she was to keep out of range, and not getting a clear reply drew out of line on the " Glasgow's " starboard quarter, a potent reminder that a ship that has no guns to fight and no speed to run away is a delusion and a snare. The sun was setting (sunset at 6:45 P.M.), and as soon as it dipped beneath the horizon (just before 7 P.M.) the English ships were silhouetted sharply against the red glow of the western sky, whilst the Germans were scarcely discernible against the gathering night clouds in the east. About 7 14 P.M. von Spec turned one point towards the enemy to clear the smoke, and opened fire at a gun range of 11,373 yards. The conditions were rendered difficult by spray, heavy sea and smoke driving down the line, but the shot fell only 500 yd. short. The third salvo hit the " Good Hope " forward at about 7:9 P.M. and sent up a burst of flame. The rest of the German squadron joined in, the " Scharnhorst " engaging the " Good Hope," the " Gneisenau " the " Monmouth," and the " Leip- zig " the " Glasgow." The " Good Hope " had now opened fire, but in the failing light the splashes could not be seen and her firing was poor and ineffective. In the next quarter of an hour the German gunners found the target again and again, and by half-past seven the British cruisers were obviously in dis- tress. The roof of the " Monmouth's " fore 6-in. turret had been blown off and the turret was blazing. She had sheered off to starboard about 7:15 P.M., and the " Glasgow," which continued to follow in the wake of the " Good Hope," had to ease down to avoid masking her fire. A fierce fire had broken out amid- ships in the " Good Hope " and was increasing in brilliance. It was almost dark. Though the moon had risen about 6:30 P.M. it was still low, but the glare of the fires kindled in the British cruisers offered a sufficient target. At 7:45 P.M. the " Good Hope " was losing speed; the range had closed to about 5,000 yards. About 7:51 P.M. two shells struck her between the mainmast and after funnel, and a vast column of smoke and fire rose into the air. When it subsided the ship was still afloat, but she was nothing but a gutted hull lighted by a dying glare, and she fired no more. Thirty-five hits had been counted on her by the " Scharnhorst's " gunners. By 8 P.M. the fire had died down, quenched by the sea. The " Mon- mouth " had ceased fire and turned away to the W., followed by the " Glasgow," who had been heavily engaged by the " Leipzig " and " Dresden " and had received five hits. The rising moon shone fitfully through the clouds, and the " Glas- gow " continued to fire at any ship that showed up, but as this only betrayed her position she ceased fire at 8:5 P.M. The " Monmouth," badly down by the bows and listing to port, turned N. at 8:15 P.M. to get stern to sea. But von Spee had now launched his light cruisers to attack and they were hot upon the trail. The " Glasgow " could only leave the stricken field, and she lost sight of the enemy at 8:50 P.M.
It was the " Niirnberg," which had been making frantic efforts to overtake her squadron, that found the unfortunate " Monmouth." She missed her with a torpedo and opened fire at 800 yards. The " Monmouth " was listing so badly that she could not use her port guns. The " Niirnberg " ceased firing for several minutes to allow her to surrender, then gave her a final broadside, and she went down at half-past nine with flag flying. The " Otranto " had fallen out and was now work- ing gradually round to the S. towards Magellan Straits.
The British shooting was poor. The " Scharnhorst " was hit twice with little injury; the " Gneisenau " received three hits, one of which bent the flap of the after turret, an injury of little moment. This deficiency must be attributed partly to failing light and an inferior horizon but also to the fact that the ships had had scant opportunity for training and their fire- control equipment was poor. The squadron was weak in guns and gunnery. When the German squadron was sighted it would have been possible to fall back on the " Canopus," but this would have entailed the destruction of the " Otranto," which would have been overtaken by the enemy in two or three hours. Cradock preferred to fight and take the chance of inflicting injury on the German squadron, which was far from any base of refitment and repair. He fought a brave fight, checked von Spee in his onward career, and he and his men take their place in the great roll of naval heroes. His foe was a worthy antagonist. When the Germans at Valparaiso acclaimed him a naval hero, he shook his head. The wide spaces of the Pacific lay behind him, he had fought a famous battle, but the southern waters of the world lay before him, behind loomed the Atlantic, and he knew that Britain's arm stretched far. He found the sequel of his victory at the Falklands (see FALKLAND ISLANDS BATTLE).
(A. C. D.)
CORSON, HIRAM (1828-1911), American scholar (see 7.204), died in Ithaca, N. Y., June 15 1911.
COSTA RICA (see 7.219). The internal history of Costa Rica is almost continuously concerned with the transmission of the presidential office. In 1889 the first comparatively free election seated Jose Juaquin Rodriguez, a clerical Conservative. He ruled practically without assistance from the legislature until he made use of it to seat Rafael Yglesias as his successor. Ygle- sias was reelected in 1898, but gave over the power in 1902 to Asuncion Esquivel, after which time serious political revolts were infrequent. Fair liberty of the press was enjoyed, and elections were not abnormally corrupt. Cleto Gonzalez Viquez was chosen president in 1906, and Ricardo Jimenez in 1910, both by popular vote. Alfredo Gonzalez was named in 1914 by the legislature after the popular vote had failed to indicate a choice. The radical programme of Gonzalez led to his forced removal by Federico Tinoco, who was elected to the presidency after his coup in 1917. Tinoco 's power was minimized by his fail- ure to obtain recognition from the U.S. Government. He was obliged to put down revolts in 1918; in 1919 a popular move- ment led by Julio Acosta drove him out of the country. Acosta, at first provisional president, was elected and inaugurated in May 1920. Costa Rica prospered under its recent rulers, who promoted public improvements, effected desirable sanitary measures, and promoted education. The landowners, professional men, and habitual politicians controlled the country, their poli- tics being animated by clique and family considerations rather than by genuine differences in policy.
After 1913, the president, members of Congress, and the city officials were popularly elected. The president had large political patronage, dominating Congress. The judiciary was practically independent; its head was the Supreme Court, chosen by Congress. The central Government had more control over local affairs than was usual in Central America. Manhood suffrage was legalized in 1920, and the suffrage was extended to women also. During the World War Costa Rica was among the first of the Hispanic- American countries to evince sympathy with the Allied cause, although the German colony and German influence were strong. On Sept. 21 1917 the Government severed relations with Germany, and on May 23 1918 declared war on Germany. The pact for the Central American Union was signed in Jan. 1921 by Costa Rica, but was later rejected by the National Assembly. For boundary dispute, see PANAMA.
Finance and Economics. During the period 191020 Costa Rican coffee was high-priced and a source of national prosperity. There was not, however, a large class of rich native landowners. On the plateau the small peasantry was prosperous and industrious. Foreigners controlled the mines, banks and commerce. The United Fruit Co. settled numbers of English-speaking people along the E. shore in the banana lands. From 1911 to 1918 the coffee crop ranged from 248,000 to 385,000 sacks, valued at from 8,221 ,000 to 14,789,000 colones (the colon equals $0.4653). In
export was valued at 1920 the coffee ,744,000. In 1918 the banana exportation
