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.

HMS Carmania sinking the German armed liner SS Cap Trafalgar off Ilha da Trindade; South Atlantic. 14th September 1914.  By Ivan Berryman.