BIG NAVAL BATTLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1559, 3 June 1916, Page 3

BIG NAVAL BATTLE.

OFF THE COAST OF JUTLAND. THREE BRITISH BATTLE CRUISERS SUNK. TWO CRUISERS SUNK AND ONE ABANDONED. ENEMY LOSSES SERIOUS. ONE BATTLE CRUISER SUNK. ONE SEVERELY DAMAGED. ONE BATTLESHIP SUNK. Received I p.m. To-day. London, 7.5 p.m., June 2nd. The Admiralty announce that there was a naval engagement on Wednesday afternoon, off the coast of Jutland. The German battle fleet avoided a prolonged action with the British main forces, and soon after these appeared on the scene the Germans returned to port, but not before they had received severe damage. The British ships on which the brunt of the fighting fell were a battle cruiser fleet (included in which is the New Zealand), some cruisers, and light cruisers, supported by four fast battleships. The battle cruisers Queen Mary, Indefatigable and Invincible, and the cruisers Defence and Black Prince were sunk. The cruiser Warrior was disabled and had to be abandoned by the crew. Before being abandoned, the cruiser Warrior was towed for*some distance. It is also known that the destroyers Tipperary, Turbulent, Fortune, Sparrow Hawk, and Ardent were lost, and six others are not accounted for. No British battleships or light cruisers were sunk.

ENEMY LOSSES. The enemy losses are serious, at least one battle cruiser being destroyed, and one severely damaged. One battleship is reported sunk, two light cruisers disabled—probably sunk, and a number of enemy destroyers, which must have been large, sunk. The scene of the engagement is in the Korth Sea, somewhere oft the coast of Denmark, but the exact locality is not stated. The following is a description of the British ships referred to ; The Queen Alary is a battle cruiser-, 27,000 tons, length 725 ft., beam 87ft., draught 30ft. ; guns, 8 13.5inch, 10 1-inch, 1 3-poumlers. Speed, 33 knots. Commander, \V. Hull. • The Queen Alary was completed in 1012. Complement not stated. The Indefatigable is a battle cruiser of 18,750 tons, length, 580 ft. ; beam, 791 ft. ; draught, 2811. ; guns ; 8 12-iueh, Iti 1-ineh, 1 3-poundcrs. Speed, 25 knots. Complement, 800. She was completed in 1900. She was, previous to the war, in the Mediterranean licet. The Invincible is a buttle cruiser completed in 1907, 17,250 tons ; length, 502 ft. ; beam, 781 ft. Guns : 8 12-inch, l(i 4-inch. Speed, 25 knots. Complement, 750. The Defence is an armoured cruiser, completed in 1907,14,000 tons ; length, 525 ft. Guns ; 4 9.2-inch, 10 7,5-inch, 10 12-pounclers. Speed, 23 knots. Complement, 755, Warrior, armoured cruiser, completed in 1905, of 13,550 tons ; length, 48011. Guns ; 0 9.2-inch, 4 7,5-inch, 24 3-pounders. Speed, 23 knots. Black Prince, armoured cruiser, completed 1904, of 13,550 tuns ; length, 480 ft. Guns : 0 9.2-ineh, 10 6-ineh, 20 3-pouuclers. Speed, 23 knots. Complement, 704.