JUTLAND BATTLE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1925, Page 2

JUTLAND BATTLE

KARL 11F. ATT AT ATTACKED. THE CAT AND THE MOUSE. [Reuters Telegrams.'] LONDON, January G. The publication of the book “The (Scandal of Jutland’’ bv Sir Reginald Bacon, has added fresh fuel to the Jutland controversy. Sir Reginald declares the battle lias been misrepresented by a smoke screen deliberately raised t.i prevent the public learning tlie truth about Jutland, w hit b constitutes a scandal regarding the battle. The writer severely blames Fail Beatty, lie says the general notion is that Earl Realty met and daringly engaged the enemy, and drew them into a trap, knowing Karl Jellicoe's Grand Fleet was t (lining up. The writer declares that Karl Beatty instead of bringing the enemy to Fail Jellicoe's licet as a cat brings a mouse, actually ran away from the mouse, when within twenty minutes of it and never saw it again, lie had to admit lie did not even know where the mouse had gone. Bacon adds: “It is not uncommon after a great war for praise and blame to be unfairly apportioned. The German cruisers os-aped from Dogger Bank through a series of errors made by Beatty, but Sir Gordon Moore was blamed. ft was owing, lo Beatty’s lack of tactical appreciation that the fifth battle squadron was not engaged ill the first phase at. Jutland, Inti even ■Commander Thomas, of the fifth squadron. was ungenerously and unjustly blamed. Lastly, through Beatty's failure to give. Jellicee vital information the latter ciiidd not deploy as last as he could otherwise have done.’’ The writer regrets that when Jellieoe was being attacked. Beatty did lint sav a few words, and instruct Hie public oj ittnin. British traditions dr mamlcd it. and Realty’s lailure in chivalry at that time will never be lorgotten or forgiven by the Royal Navy. INCOMPETENCE. LONDON'. January 6. “Lord Jellicoe led the fleet at Jutland with matchless skill, and left nothing undone to secure the enemy’s defeat. Tf the victory was less decisive Ilian the nation hoped for. the blame was not atl.-irhed to Lord Jelicne. but to his subordinate. Beatty.’’ said Admiral Reginald Bacon, in bis bonk. He contends that the battle cruiser fleet’s gunnery, under Beatty, was not good, and says: “It was bis business to see that bis ships were able to shoot a-eitrately. He cinnot be held blameless if they failed. ’’ Admiral llaeon points out that Beatty had four battleships. besides six b-ittle cruisers, ami it was Realty’s duty, after sighting the enemy, to avoid action until four battleships, then a few miles distant, had joined his line, then to bring overwhelming concent ration of lire to hear. Beatty, however, dashed headlong into the light. If lie had awaited his battleships. tb(' ensuing action which resulted in Hie sinking of fwo British ships, might well have been a brilliant victory instead of being practically a defeat.

“Beatty's second blunder was losing contact with the enemy, when lie turned and rn'ed northward, with ihe resuit that he joined Jellicoe s Grand Fleet dumb, and was unable to supply information vital for determining Jellicoe' ■; method of deployment. It was under ibis handicap that. Jellicoe had marshalled his forces, and he did absolutely the right thing in deploying |.o port, instead of to starboard towards the eiieiuv.” Admiral Bacon sneers at Sir Winston Churchill's coule-sicii that, it was Rent t v's piowess at polo and hunting which iull iiom od him ill .some degree in appointing Beatty to comma,ml the Bat tile Cruiser Squadron oven- the heads of numerous seniors. Sir Reginald points out “I Terse man ship is a poor qualification for the High Command afloat.” and says that Beatty had only handle'! a squadron of ships lor two months prior to Ins appointment to one of the most impel tan! commands in the Navy. Admiral Bacon

insists that Beatty's lack - f ‘'vp.-n----enee resulted in failure on every occasion and that Lis capacity was to-l-ed a- an admiral in command. He declares that Beatty missed a complete victory in the Dogger Bank fight, in .!a lll > i! v 1915. by turning away Iron; a submarine at a- critical moment, when, by all the callous he should have -leered for it.