JUTLAND CONTROVERSY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1924, Page 2

JUTLAND CONTROVERSY

REPLY TO YON SCHEKIt. UTBTUAMAN AND N.Z. OJ'*LE ASSOCIATION (YELLINGTON. August H. Lord Jcllicoe’s reply to Admiral von Seheer published earlier is incomplete. The London ’‘Evening Standard”, telegraphing to Izntl Jellieoe. attributed to Seheer statements, firstly, that the Germans were able to turn owing to the hesitating fashion in which the British came into action, and the manner in which they turned from Lite enemy torpedo offensive: .‘•tccomllv that the British could have engaged the Germans next morning when the British at the time they were sighted by a German Zeppelin were in a position to interpose between the Germans and their base; thirdly, that the British deployment to port during the battlement was a, vital mistake, and that had they deployed to starhoard the German turn would have been impossible. Lord Jellieoe finds it difficult to believe that von Seheer, knowing the facts, could express such views hut. as they were widely reported in the English Press. Lord Jellieoe acceded to the request of the “Evening Standard.’' and telegraphed to the following effect: Firstly, that there was no hesitation in commencing the action. The difficulty raf remaining in action was due to the ) orsistent ret renting liiovenionst which were invisible from tbo centre of the British line being covered by smoke screens. The disappearance of the (>'<■) mails Imm view was taken as due to the thickening mist. T lie British turn from the torpedo offensive could not Facilitate the German turn, as the latter occurred five minutes Before the British turn. Secondly, the British were 10 miles from tbo Germans when a zeppelin was sighted, and tile Germans were then entering the swept ibaniiel in the minefields. Thirdly, the deployment i< well discuss, vl in Sir Julian Corbett’s “History of the Naval Operations” Volume 11. and “Brasse.v’s Annual. 1921.” Deployment to starboard would have facilitated the German retreat. Deployment to port gave the British the advantage of light. Tt placed the British between tile Germans and Heligoland.

JT.LLTCOE’S .1 CDGMF.NT. LONDON. August 11. Admiral Mark Kerr writes to the •‘Daily Express” saying that the situation before the Battle ol Jutland may l e described thus: A party of armed sin ].holds were protecting their master's sheep, anil they had driven a "lid lynx, which desired to worry the flock into a dark cave. r lhe lynx hoped that they would send their dogs into the cave, where, owing to his superior sight, he could kill them piecemeal. The shepherds rightly reasoned that th<‘ lynx could pass them towards the flock without being attacked at great disadvantage, in the open by their dogs. So they stay outside. The result is that the flocks are ttndisturlM-d. and tin- lynx is starved into surrender. As Nelson would have said, "by light at all immense disadvantage for no adeipiate object ?”