BATTLE OF JUTLAND.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17128, 25 April 1921, Page 9

BATTLE OF JUTLAND.

REVISED TRACK CHART. (from our own ooerespondent.) \ LONDON, March 9. Iu the House of Lords last evening, Lord Sydenham enquired whether there could be any objection to the publication of the track charts of the battle of Jutland, prepared by Captain J. E. T. Harper's Committee, on the understanding that no commentary was issued, but only'a note explaining the sources of the information on whicn those charts were based. Lord Lee, First Lord of the Admiralty, said they were all anxious that the public generally should be in possession of the fullest and most accurate information with regard to what took place at the greatest of naval battles for more than a century. But it was not easy to ascertain the facts, and particularly the exapt movement pf ships in tho course of an action under conditions' of visibility and other circumstances which made it peculiarly difficult to "produoe track charts that would bo accepted by all concerned as being exact. Reports.of tho various officers were collected and examined, and it was found by tho navigating authorities at tho Admiralty that there were obvious errors in some of the charts. The Admiralty formed the opinion that revision was necessary, and that when the charts were published they should be published by. the authority of the Admiralty, and not of one particular officer. The revisions, so far as the Board of Admiralty was concerned, had been carried out. With regard to the 'question of immediate publication, Lord Lee added that there was difficulty, as a. very clear and specific undertaking was given by hid predecessor that no new publication with regard to the conduct or history of tho Battle of Jutland should be made without it first being submitted to Lord Jellicoe for any observation he might "wish to make upon it.' He therefore felt that it was absolutely necessary that tho revised track chart, which has just bean completed, should bo forwarded to Lord Jelhcoe, As soon S3 they were in _ possession of Lord Jellicoe's observations, if any, upon tho revised chart, they would bo in a position, ho hoped, to make it public or to supply it to all who might wish *c see it.