"TIMES'S " NAVAL CRITIC ON THE BATTLE

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

"TIMES'S " NAVAL CRITIC ON THE BATTLE

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)' < (Eec. June 5, 5.20 p.m.) in, ~,. London, June i. '■ ■the 'limes" naval correspondent, com. menting on the naval battle says: "Only a portion of Sip John Jullicoe's fleet ap!U? rs , to ,lave Participated in tho Ijattle lhe latest and largest t.\pes of warships were engaged, and the heaviest guns known in modern fleets were brought into action. The British casualties were mainly coufincd to tho cruisers and smaller vessels, in which we have the largest preponderance. Those conversant with the conditions of sea warfare always expected that the British Navy's far-flung operations could hardly be maintained against such a wily and implacable fo«> without loss. The nation will accept theso losses with keen regret, but with unmilled calmness. \ The official facts revealed the following naval situation The German High Sea Fleet, ■in full forco, was discovered on Wednesday off tho coast of Denmark, and the fastest ships of o\it Grand l?lcct vero engaged in order to hold them until our main forcse came into action. It is manifest that tho British naval forces were outnumbered, whioh explains our serious losses in 6hip3 which bore the brunt of the action. Technically speaking, it was tho German plan to shirk a further action when Sir John Jelliooe's ships arrived on tho scene. Tho enemy selected a moment of low visibility, it was & decidedly favourable one, and his manoeuvres were daring and skilful enabling him to obtain the most im. portant German naval success they havo yet had. "The Gorman account of the fight agrees largely with ours, but Berlin has omitted to mention the destruction of the Lutzow, one of the finest of tlie five battle-cruisers left. The Germans admit the loss of the Pommern, which Russian and British submarines claimed to have sunk months ago. "Nothing can alter the significance of the fact that our Grand Fleet is essentially intact. Until Sir John Jellicoe's , force has been overthrown, no amount of partial gains can alter, tho course of the war in tho Germans' favour. Without indulging in that self-satisfaction and complacency against which Admiral Sir David Beatty recently warned us, it may be confidently expected that our seamen, undisturbed in spirit and morale, will exert full retribution for this battle." WHAT THEY SAY IN FRANCE Paris, June 4. lhe newspapers -unanimously emphasise the importance of tho Britishffor,a r , m driving the Germans back to Kiel, and interpret tho result a 9 a German defeats Admiral Besson, writing in the "Gau< lots,' saluted the heroic cruisers for ing the brunt of the battle against heavy odds for ten hours. Reinach, in the "Figaro/* writes: "pritain is still the sovereign Mistress ol the Seas." ( M. Pichon, in the "Petit Journal," says: "We are perhaps at the commencement of a series of inevitable and foreseen encounters which England and her Allies have no cause to feac." "Le Journal" 'remarks: "The German object jvas to overwhelm an important part of the British fleet by surprise! bat the blow failed." . "Le Temps," explaining the position of tho British fleet, says: "It is hard for sailors who have been trained for battle to patrol the ■ seas unendingly and only net a few dozen submarines, but the British fleet Tightly adapted itself to the necessity. The present is a war of preparation more than of operation; a war of Governments more than of armies; and victory will be, not only to the bravest, but, above all, to the most intelligent. The blockade which is being enforced is, as Lord Robert Cecil defined it, worth more than a naval victory, but tho British have won this, for the blockade continues. We are redoubling our watchfulness and tightening oar grip, and this will suffice." All the newspapers lay stress on ths fact that tho strategic situation is unchanged, and that tho blockade remains impassible That is tho real test. FOLLOW IT UP! (Rec. June 5, 9.15 p.m.) Paris, June 5. The consternation which. lyid been caus> ed by the first account of the naval battle gave way to great Tejoicing on Sunday Bight over the British victory. Even Verdun was relegated to second place. The news that the full German fleet had refused to fight, and had fled within its own waters greatly impressed the public. Admiral Degouy; writing to the Press, urges the British Fleet to take the opportunity now presented, and piiTsue a resolute offensive at whatever cost. americaTopinion KAISER'S BATTERED ARJIADA. (Rec. .1.10 a.m.) ' ' t Chicago, Jape 4. Tho "Chicago News" London correspondent says, that the Britishers smashed the Gorman battle formation completely, and although the British- loss was "heavy, it was not incommensurate with the havoc played with, tho Kaiser's Armada, which was so battered and impaired that it can be eliminated from British calculations for a considerable period. (Continued on next page.) '