GERMAN FLEET AT SEA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1626, 19 October 1916, Page 4

GERMAN FLEET AT SEA.

. ENGAGEMENT AVOIDED. . ALU) RUSH FOR BASES. An excursion into the North Sea was made by the German High Seas Fleet on August 19th, but, learning that the British forces were in strength, the fleet avoided engagement, and returned to port. In searching for the enemy, we lost two light" cruisers, the Nottingham and the Falmouth, both of which were in the battle of Jutland. We sank one enemy submarine, and rammed —and possibly sank —another.

On the following Tuesday the Secretary of the Admiralty made a further announcement, as follows: “Submarine E2J, LieutenantCommander Robert R. Turner, R.N., which has returned to-day from the North Sea, reports that on the morning of Saturday last —August 10th — she made a successful torpedo attack upon a German battleship of the Nassau class. The commanding officer reports that while the ship was being escorted by five destroyers back to harbour in a. damaged condition, he attached again and struck her with a second torpedo, and believes that she was sunk. It is probably unnecessary to say that the statement, already contradicted and repeated to-day in an official Berlin message, that a British destroyer was sunk and a British battleship damaged last Saturday, is wholly without foundation.”

TOO MANY WITNESSES. The German High Seas Fleet has won another “great victory,” the Rotterdam correspondent of the Daily Telegraph wrote. It has appeared in the North Sea in full strength, it has cruised westwards —and it has returned to its harbours. This triumph is even more wonderful than that of June Ist, for on Saturday, except for an incidental submarine exploit, tbe German armada completely succeeded in avoiding encounter with British forces. According to the standard of the Kaisers Admiralty Staff, what is lacking to prevent them announcing to the world another proof that it is Germany, not Britain, which holds the dominions of the seas ? Perhaps one thing among others, They realise, for instance, that scores of Dutch'skippers know exactly what happened. These trained sailors witnessed all the movements of the German squadrons and destroyer flotillas. And their reports prove conclusively the only fact of importance in the day’s events, namely, that on the first news of Die appearance of the British Fleets the Germans turned tail and headed eastwards at full speed. FLEET OF SIXTY SHIPS. At nine o’clock in the morning, the Great German Fleet, at least (50 vessels' of all descriptions, was sighted. It was carefully guided by three Zeppelins. At six o’clock in the evening the same fleet was viewed further north, and this time, with its attendant airships, was steaming furiously eastwards.' Bhat had happened in the meantime? 1 too, is equally clear from reports of other Dutch captains. At five o-’ clock in the afternoon they saw one or more British squadrons much further south than the six o’clock position of the German fleet heading .almost; due north in the direction of the enemy. Something else they noted. From the northwards appeared three Zeppelins, The airships, immediately on spotting tho British vessels, went about in the direction of 1 lie main German fleet. Then came a swift dash. Half an hour afterwards the High Canal Fleet was in mad retreat to its homebases. BRITISH SEARCH IN VAIN. That was the last seen of any German warship in the North Sea. But for many hours after that British squadrons were sighted scouring the seas for the vanished enemy. It is no matter tor surprise, therefore, that up to the moment of sending this despatch (be German Admiralty has not announced the latest “victory” of its high sens forces. The testimony }o the real course of events is both conclusive and ample, for a large number of Dutch trawlers in the North Sea on Saturday have returned to Ymniden. Individually and collectively their evidence comes to this: At six o’clock the German fleet disappeared whilst for hours afterwards the British squadrons were sighted searching for the battle which the German admirals were so careful to avoid. Into the hours of darkness the British pursued hope of .contest. No possible chance to bring the enemy to that contest was missed, but, alas! in vain, for equally —and even ±o a superior extent —no chance that the contest should take place was risked by the Kaiser's admirals. After the Zeppelins had reported the presence of great British forces they devoted all their abilities to escape meeting with the fleet which were boasting a few weeks ago they had smashed.