At 4.30 P.M. Commodore Tyrwhitt, of the Harwich force, reported that the German mine-layer _Meteor_, which had been sighted by his vessels in the vicinity of the Horn Reef, had been abandoned and sunk by her own crew and that he had subsequently rescued four officers and 39 men, survivors of the armed boarding-steamer _Ramsey_, who had been prisoners on board the _Meteor_. The _Ramsey_ had been on patrol south-east of the Pentland Firth, and it was ascertained from the survivors later that she had sighted and closed the _Meteor_, which was disguised as a neutral merchant-ship, shortly after daylight on August 8th, with the intention of boarding her. On closing, however, the _Meteor_ suddenly showed her true character; her powerful armament, hitherto concealed, opened a heavy fire on the _Ramsey_, which was returned by the latter ship’s greatly inferior armament of 12-pounder guns. But the surprise was too complete and the odds too heavy, and the _Ramsey_ was sunk very quickly with her colours flying, four officers and 39 men out of a complement of 97 being picked up by the _Meteor_. Acting-Lieut. P. S. Atkins, R.N.R., the senior surviving officer of the _Ramsey_, came north to report himself to me, and gave full details of his experiences. He stated that when the officers of the _Meteor_ abandoned and sank their ship on sighting Commodore Tyrwhitt’s force, the crew, with the British prisoners, went on board a neutral fishing vessel. Shortly afterwards the British light cruisers passed close to the fishing vessel, and Lieut. Atkins signalled to the Commodore, stating that they were survivors of the _Ramsey_ and asked to be taken off. He added that the Commodore, who was at that time being attacked by both aircraft and submarines, replied, “Steer south-west; I will return and pick you up.”