TRUTH ABOUT THE NAVAL BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2789, 6 June 1916, Page 5

TRUTH ABOUT THE NAVAL BATTLE

I • ■ ; ENEMY'S LOSSES MOUNTING : . STORIES "WE WERE LOOMS FOli FIGHT" . RUSSIAN ATTACK ON ' VERDUN AND THE TRENTiNO ' i'uituor news from tlie North Sea places the result of the great naval battle in a totally different light from that reflected by the first scrappy Dews which filtered through the smoke of the battle. The verdict of tlie world is for the British, 1 who went out looking for a fight, found the enemy, fought him, and compelled him to scuttle off to his protected harbours. We sustained losses, but, it is pointod out, that is inevitable in nay sea fight, and was peculiarly so in this, one, as Admiral Beatty was compelled, by an aggregation of adverse circumstances, to fight under a disadvantage; but the enemy's losses are now specifically declared to havo been greater—not only relatively greater as to strength of fleet, but absolutely greater. Yet t:he. fleet that ran away boasts of a victory and makes ' holiday over it! Here is the position as regards the losses based on the latest available evidence:—. BRITISH. i GBRMAJT. .. .; ' ■ : Seriously . , Seriously • ' • , ,' v f'unli. Disabled, damaged.' Sunk. Disabled, damaged. Battleships '. — . — . — 2' — — Battle-oruisers .... 3 — — 2 11 Cruisers i —' — — — _ Light cruisers ... — — — 4 2 — • Destroyers - . 8 . —. — . ■ .9 — 6 Submarines. ...... 1_ _ Totals ".. "■ 14 18 3 7 • Meanwhile, on land, events are shaping towards interesting developments. There is increased activity on the British front; the Russians have initiated ail offensive on the Austrian front over an extensive area; the Italians are holding the Austrian assaults in the Trentino, while at Verdun the German attempts to break down the French defence on tho VauxDamloup sector have failed.