We had now to provide for the Australian convoy to Europe which was due to leave Sydney on September 27 for Port Adelaide, where they would be joined by the New Zealand contingent and its own escort as well as by the ‘Australian Fleet’ (_Australia_, _Sydney_ and _Melbourne_) as soon as they were free from the New Guinea expedition. Our original proposal for the escort of the Australian Army was, therefore, _Australia_, _Sydney_ and _Melbourne_, with the small cruisers from New Zealand. To cover the Commonwealth during the absence of all her Fleet, it was arranged that the _Minotaur_, together with the Japanese _Ibuki_ and _Chikuma_, should come south to New Britain Islands. In the middle of September the New Zealand contingent was due to sail for Adelaide. The _Australia_ and her consorts were still delayed in New Guinea, where some delay was caused by the German resistance. Great anxiety was felt in New Zealand at the prospect of throwing their contingent across to Australia with no better escort than the two P class cruisers. They pointed out the dangers from the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_, which on September 14 had been reported off Samoa. The Admiralty view was that it was most improbable the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ could know of the contemplated New Zealand expedition, still less of the date of its sailing; that in order to deliver an attack in New Zealand waters they would have to steam far from their coaling bases north of the Equator, and would indeed have to be accompanied by their colliers, greatly reducing their speed and hampering their movements. In these circumstances the Admiralty foresaw but little danger to the New Zealand convoy in the first part of their voyage, were unable to provide further protection for this stage, and expressed the opinion that the risk should be accepted. To this decision the New Zealand Government bowed on September 21, and it was settled that the New Zealand convoy should sail on the 25th. Meanwhile, however, renewed exploits by the _Emden_ in the Bay of Bengal created a natural feeling of alarm in the mind of the New Zealand and Australian public; and without prejudice to our original view, we decided to make arrangements to remove these apprehensions.