THE NORTH SEA FIGHT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 741, 30 January 1915, Page 5

THE NORTH SEA FIGHT.

GERMANS OFF ENGLISH COAST. LION OPENS FIRE. RANGE OF FIFTEEN MILES. London, Wednesday. The Germans were sighted 30 miles from the English coaßt. The Lion opened fire at a range of 15 miles, and the battle cruiser conteutants were never closer than eight miles. The Lion received a tremendous ovation when she returned to port. A Blucher bluejackets that one terrible shell burst right in the heart of the ship and killed scores of men. The Blucher was simply battered to pieces. Two hundred and fifty-three wounded and unwounded survivors from her Were landed in Britain. Her captain admits that she participated in the shelling of Hartlepool, when her casualties Were 90 killed and 21 wounded.

SUPERIOR BRITISH GUNNERY. « LAST OP THE BLUCHER. GERMAN AEROPLANE ATTACK. London, Wednesday. A member of the crew of a light cruiser states that the light cruisers fell back in the action. The battlecruisers did all the work. The enemy were twenty mileis off when they were first seen. Immediately they turned tail. The Lion was the firßt to come within effective range, and soon did tremendous damage. The fight lasted two hours. "Tin Germans," remarked the narrator, "put up a gallant fight, but theis. firing wag reckless. They fired faster than us, but our chaps were wonderfully cool and steady. There was a good light and cajm sea, and our shots hit their target. It did not take many shots to finish the Blucher. The last one took her on the water line. She slowly heeled, and Went down in the glasslike water.

"Our detroyers went to rescue the crews, but some of the Germans fired on them. The destrqyer Liberty was deputed to rescue the survivors." A bluejacket recounts that when th 6 Blucher was crippled her gunfire became more of a menace to her own fleet than to the English. As she settled her guns went off for the last time. '

DAMAGE TO BRITISH. LION AND METEOR HIT. SMALL CASUALTY LIST. Wellington, Wednesday. The. Prime Minister has received the following cable from the High Commissioner in London, dated January 26th: — "The Admiralty has announced that all the British ships and destroyers which were engaged in Sunday's action in the North Sea have returned safely to port. "The Lion, which had some of her forward compartments Hooded by a shell below the water line, was towed by the Indomitable. The destroyer Meteor was also disabled, and was towed by the destroyer Liberty. Both Vessels were guarded by strong escorts to destroyers. The repairs to both vessels can be speediy effectedl. "The total number of casualties were: On the Lion, 17 men wounded; on the Tiger, 1 officer and 9 men killed and 3 offiers and 8 men wounded; on the Meteor, 4 men killed and 1 man wounded. It is not believed that there were any other casualties but if there are any they Will be immediately pubilshed.