A VICTORY, NOT DISASTER

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 June 1916, Page 3

A VICTORY, NOT DISASTER

ADMIRALTY'S STORY OF

QREAT FIGHT

MIST SAVES ENEMY FLEET FROM ANNIHILATION.

The latest facts published by courtesy.of the Admiralty show that. Admirals Jellicoe's and Beatty's reports are far from complete, but they put an utterly different complexion on the German account, and remove the cheerless impression caused by the first British communique.

The reason for this dismal announcement was that until Admiral'Jellicoe reached port on Friday . afternoon, all that was known was that a portion of the British fleet met the whole German fleet and drove them tor port. Even then only the barest particulars were available, and were published in the evening, throwing a gloom over England unequalled in the memory of living man. FACTS OF THE FIGHT! ' The Admiralty hastened to publish the more cheering news contained in the second comrriu • nique the moment, it was received. The outstanding facts of the naval fight are :— ; First: There were no surprises. Second: The mythical German 17in guns failed to materialise. Third: The loss of life was very heavy. Fourth: The Zeppelins were conspicuous by their absence. Fifth : Gunnery caused greater material loss than torpedoes. Sixth : The engagement was fought at a distance of between 10,000 and 12,000 yards. Seventh : The battle occurred in four phases, beginning with evenly matched battle-cruisers, ending in the sudden appearance of the German battleships, followed by the approach of British battleships, and the hasty retreat of the Germans, and finally a German destroyer attack. Fighting between the battle cruisers began at three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. The battleships finished at nine in the evening, but the destroyer attack continued later. .^-'

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A FIGHT

Asked whether the British Fleet was looking for a fight, or whether the meeting was accidental, the Admiralty replied that whenever the Fleet was out it was always looking for a fight, adding: "Whatevei the German enterprise was it didn't come off. We drove the whole of them to port, waited on the spot, and searched everywhere until Thursday. We saw no signs of them, and then returned home at leisurely speed. We only wish they would emerge to-morrow under similar conditions."

Admiral Jellicoe sent a message to the Admiralty : "My one regret is that misty weather on Wednesday saved the enemy far more serious punishment."

It is semi-officially stated that there is some mystery about the Pommern. It is understood that the latter was torpedoed in the Gulf of Riga on July 2, 1915. Experts believe that the Pommern sunk on Wednesday is a new Dreadnought christened by the old name. Otherwise it is believed that the Germans, wishing to gloss over the loss of a vessel of the Kaiser class, introduced the name Pommern, which is a vessel of smaller tonnage.

The Admiralty informed a neutral journalist that he would have an early opportunity of seeing the British Warspite, the Marlborough, and the Arcadia (asserted by the Germans to-be sunk) safe in port.