Comments by "Steve Valley" (@stevevalley7835) on "The Drydock - Episode 207" video.

wrt von Spee's options, a route around Africa would afford the opportunity to pick up Königsberg in Tanganyika en route. Most of Africa being colonies of various European powers means that most of the places they could put in for coal would either be hostile, or neutral, but full of allied spies that would report their arrival. Scharnhorst had a range of 4800nm and Königsberg's range was 5750nm. As soon as the war started, British and French troops invaded Kamerun, taking Douala on September 27, 1914. South African forces landed at Lüderitz in Southwest Africa in the fall of 14 and Swakopmund on Feb 11, 1915. Dar Es Salaam to Swakopmund is 3385nm, so von Spee could make it, if he started early, and if plenty of coal was available. Spain was neutral, and the distance from Swakopmund to Dakhla in the Spanish Sahara is 4249nm. From Dakhla to Wilhelmshaven is 2552nm, if going by the channel. So the trip would be feasible, provided von Spee started early enough to reach Swakopmund before the South Africans occupied the town, and if there was plenty of coal available.
2
@RedXlV The Italian 15"/40s built for the Caracciolo class battleships were used as shore batteries in twin turrets. One turret installed near Venice, two at Brindisi, which used turrets much like those on a battleship, with hoists bringing the ammo up from a magazine. Later, a twin turret of different design was installed near Augusta, Sicily, and two more turrets of the later design were installed near Genoa in 42. The two after 14" turrets from Arizona were installed as shore batteries in Hawaii, but it took the entire war to build them. iirc, they were first test fired within days of V-J day.
2
@CharlesStearman Emden was detached from von Spee's squadron, penetrated the Indian ocean and raided commerce in the eastern Indian Ocean for several months before being caught and defeated by HMAS Sydney. If Emden had been trying to transit the Indian Ocean in an attempt to get home, Sydney would never have caught up with her.
1
@benwilson6145 I looked at my 1928 USN port guide to get an idea of the coal supplies typically on hand in those African ports. Dar Es Salaam typically had no more than 500 tons on hand. The other ports on the hypothetical route were so small they were not listed at all. Suspect that the lack of fuel that would be accessible by the Germans makes that route a no-go. Going around South America was a better option. Von Spee had refueled in Valparaiso, and German diplomats were arranging fuel supplies elsewhere along the South American coast. He could have made it back to Europe, if he had stayed away from the Falklands, and British spies did not pick up on fuel supplies being staged for the squadron, so the RN could lay a trap. Prinz Eitel Friedrich, a merchant cruiser, was detached from von Spee's squadron and raided independently in the Pacific and South Atlantic. She made it as far as Newport News, Virginia, where she put in for fuel and repairs, and was quickly blocked in by British and French warships.
1
@benwilson6145 The Netherlands being neutral, the Dutch colonies would probably sell them fuel and supplies, same as US held Guam or the Philippines, but not allow the Germans to use neutral territory as a base.
1