SHARP NAVAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE NORTH SEA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2986, 25 January 1917, Page 5

SHARP NAVAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE NORTH SEA

r, . :t , DESTROYERS IN ACTION e REPORTED SINKING OF SEVEN GERMAN VESSELS e ■ - ' ti . ' , ■ ■ .1 By-Telegraph—Press .'Abu.—Copyright. e ' ■ r (Extraordinary.) 1 , (Rec. 'January 24, 3.5 p.m.) '• ■. ' c m o •/• l- i i ■, London, January 23. ten British destroyers engaged! twelve German destroyers. Seven Ger- ,. mart vessels are reported to have been sunk.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. a. , ' (Rec. January 24, 5.5 p.m.) r London, January 23. . B The 'Admiralty reports: "Our light forces patrolling in tlio North Sea, - not Jar from the Dutch coast on Monday night met a division of enemy destroyers, and after a short engagement one of the latter was sunk, when 3 the rest scattered, being considerably punished'. Darkness-prevonted i observation of tho full results'of tho action. ' "Also during the night there tois a sharp engagement between oneiny 1 destroyers and ours in tho_ vicinity of the Schouwon Bank. One of ours was h torpedoed; tho explosion killing three officers and forty-four men. Our ships > subsequently- sank her assailant. Wo had no other casualties."—Aus-N.Z t Cable Assn.-Reuler. • 1 - f """"""""'• . ! ~ ' 'ACTION OPJ3NED AT THE SHORTEST RANGE. I (Rec. January 24, 5.30 p.m.) „,,.., , London, January 23. Renter's limuden correspondent says: "Particulars of tho naval engagement indicate that the German destroyers attempted to leave Zeebrugge to avoid the ice, which was very thick, and were immediately attacked by a large British squadron.. Tho action opened at the shortest range. Early in the fight the bridge of tho German destroyer U69 was shot away and two officers and tho commander of the flotilla wero killed. TJ69 fired ouo torpedo, and was then hit other British shells, one smashing the funnel, the other holing the front part of the vessel. Tho crew .state that seven more German vessels were sunk. TJ69 is now lying off Ymuiden pier."—Renter [German destroyers aro not usually designated by tho letter "U," but by the lotters "S," "G," and "V," followed by a number.] GERMAN DESTROYERS WERE ON A RAIDING EXPEDITION t (Rec. .January 27, 7.5 p.m;) ur>i t ■ i.. u ii. v 1 1. ■ ± Ymuiden, January 23. A Dut f h . has brought in t 6n SoV erely wounded German 'sailors, who were taken aboard at the request of the commander of a German torpedoboat. They came originally from 1J69. It is believed tho English cut off another torpedo-boat which was seen proceeding at full speed northward. TJ69 has now entered the harbour. Eight kiUed are aboard. She was apparently hit three times, and before or after the engagement collided with another . vessel. ■The engagement happened at four o'clock in the morning The German officers refuse to give information. ° ~ ~ , ~ „„...,„., n , x Amsterdam, January 23. nv According toithe "Trjd " the German destroyers belonged to the Sixth Division of the Homo IMeet from Heligoland, which apparently intended to make a raid,_but were discovered. The greater part of tho fleet was driven to the base, .while a portion of the squadron was forced against the Flemish coast. It is reported that warships were sunk, but particidar.s are lacking Some damaged German vessels took refuge in Zeebrugge.—Router. '' CONFIRMATION OF ENEMY LOSSES. (Rec. January 25, 0.20 a.m.) ™, ~„ ~ m , ~„„,, , London, January 23. The Daily lelegraph's-' Rotterdam correspondent states it i's certain that seven German ships were sunk in %h& naval action—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Sssn.