The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1916. THE GREAT BATTLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 52, 5 June 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1916. THE GREAT BATTLE.

The world was long looked forward >n fearful imagination to a great naval battle,and writers in legion have expressed their views as to what we v ight then expect. Such a battle lias 10 »' happened, Britain's fleets having, under the most adverse eircumsiaiurs met the full strength of Germany's Navy and put the Kaiser's ships to flight. Though our losses have been heavy and the toll of human life great, when the rather confused messages from all sources are sorted out, it is quite clear that the victory was Britain's Navy, of which the Empire is so justly proud, has stood the test and inflicted heavy losses on die enemy. The encounter appears io hav been forced on the Germans, who ha<J no desire to meet Britain's ships on anything approaching equal terms, and it is believed that several of their ships fled to neutral waters. The usual tissue of falsehoods has been circulated in Hunland for the benefit of the cla.nmtfing public, and a great victory lor Germany is naturally claimed, but i» this unthinkable tiling had occurred, as'one thoughtful neutral says: Why ! did'the "victorious" German fleets run 'away? Undoubtedly we have sustained a big loss and fine ships and splendid'seaman have gone But it is im possible that a titanic naval battle, with all the fearsome means of desI traction modern science has provided, could ensue without great loss. It has ito be remembered also that the batub I took place off the coast of Jutlandat tyie enemy's very gateways and that the enemy was put to flight. Puiher. though we have sustained losses Britain';-; Grand Fleet is to-.lny »«j I magnificently superior to Germain , ! . t s it was before the engagement . Hast Wednesday. Undoubtedly th. most serious feature is the loss of so Inianv of our heroic seamen, and the ! Empire deeply mourns their fate Suri splendid men, the flower of Britain s manhood, are irreplacable, arid to those Ithev leave behind, the Nations pro I fouiidest sympathy goes out.

been postponed until Monday for trade considerations. The plan of changing a holiday which comes at the end of a week to the following Monday" is nos a new one. and we believe is commonly followed in Australia. But whatever' is done in this way should be uniform to prevent such a state of things as Stratford experienced last Saturday. Country people were in town in large numbers, and the shops were all open, but the Post and Telegraph Depart-] ment observed close holiday hours and; was silent as the grave. Apparently,! however, in some other neighbouring! towns, where similar Post and Tele-, graph hours were observed, the people! Were not left in such outer darkness' regarding one of the greatest happen-j ings in the world's naval history, andl by some means or another in these bet-j tei -served regions, messages by tele-: graph were received and posted for, public information. But in Stratford.j as has happened on more than one oc-, casion before since this war started,) important news received by the Go-; vernment and apparently distributed was not taken off at Stratford. Exactly the why and wherefore of this we! do not know', but it is high time someshaking up of the dry bones of official-, dom took place. It would not, surely, be an out-o'f-the way extravagance forj a Department which prides itself on, being a great trading concern to incur i the cost of keeping at least one te'.e- ---| graph operator within call on a day ; such as Saturday last, when business lis practically proceeding as usual ex-. J eept at the Post Office. The Department is rigidly correct in its imposi- ! tions, charges and fines: on the other hand'-it has a duty to the public in return, which it seems to at times forget-. For instance, many people were quite astonished to find the office closed at all on Saturday, after coming a long way to transact business, but a parsimonious regime would not incur the small cost of advertising the special hours to be observed. No ordinary trading concern would be so foolish or so neglectful of its duty ty its clients It is little short of scandalous that the thrilling messages from the Hio-h Commissioner regarding the great naval battle off the coast of Jutland should have passed us by on Saturday. To-day the town is closed down generally, but the Post and Megraph is in full working order. The -Stratford Post" is specially publishing owing to the groat happenings and the anxiety of the people to obtain the news. .-,....; i