BREAKING THE NEWS.

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

BREAKING THE NEWS.

SATURDAY'S REPORTS. The following was issued as . an "extra" after publication of the "Stratford Evening Post" on. Saturday evening;— The High Commissioner reports: — The Admiralty announces that on the afternoon of Wednesday a, naval engagement took place off the coast of Jutland, in the Skager Rack, at the entrance to the Baltic. The British ships who bore the brunt of the fighting were the battle-cruiser fleet, consisting of cruisers; sub-cruis-ers, and light cruisers.' Four fast cruisers, who were among these, were sunk, and the losses were heavy. ■ The German battle fleet, aided by the low fought a prolonged action with our main forces, and as soon as these appeared on the scene, the enemy returned to port, but hot, apparently, before having severe damage from our battle-ships. The battle-cruisers Queen Mary, Indefatigable, Invincible, and the cruisers Defence and Black Prince were sunk. The Warrior was disabled, and after being towed for a time, had to be abandoned by the crew.

It is also known that the destroyers Tipperary, Turbulent, Fortune, Sparrow Hawk, and the Ardent were lost, while six others are missing. > The cnerriy losses were serious. The battleship Pommern ( \ 3,000 tons) was sunk and one was seriously damaged, and a large battleship was reported to have been sunk by our destroyers." . During the first part of the attack, two . enemy light .cruisers were disabled and a number were sunk. Further, a German communique admits that a small cruiser the Wiesbaden was sunk, that the Pommern was • torpedoed, and that the Frauenlob (2600 tons) is missing; also that some torpedoers had not returned.

ADMIRALTY REPORTS, GERMAN CLAIMS MODIFIED. London, June i. % The Admiralty denies the German statement that the Warspite and A'casta were lost. Both ships retimed to harbor. The list of the eight destroyers lost is completed by the names of the Nomad, the Nestor, and the S-laik. A statement that a suooiarine torpedoed three German neivhunt non without warning is officially described as being without foundation. There are distressing scenes at many English ports. At least six of the Inst ships were commissioned at Portsmouth, to which-town about ;!. to thousand men aboard them belonged. One account states that when the Germans divided forces the Briti ;!■> squadron got between the enemy tattle fleets and the smaller vessels, f<u ing the latter into a German minefield, where the majority were lost. The Admiralty's first list is one of officer casualties. All the Queen Mary's were, lost, except four midshipmen. AU of the Invincible's were lost,

except Commander Dannreruther and one lieutenant; all the Indefatigable's, Defences, and Black Prince's were lost. All the officers of the Warrior were saved, except one. ADMIRALS HOOD AND ARBUTHNOT Admirals Hood and Arbuthnot were lost. Admiral Percy Scott's eldest son, John, who was midshipman on the Defence, was drowned . Admiral Beatty is safe, and it is believed, unharmed. MEETING THE ENEPdY. SURPRISED OFF THE DOGGER BANK. ADMIRAL BEATTYS SQUADRON ENCAGED. London,. June 4. The Star state! that ; a\mlcf story of the Battle is toid by a British naval ima», avhc, says: "Part of Admiral : Be'atty's' battle cruisers on Wednesday afternoon sighted the German battle fteetf with cruisers and lighter vessels, off the Dogger Bank, presumably making for the English coast. Admiral Beatty engaged the enemy, and Att miral Jellicoe meanwhile set out under cover of the fog and steamed down the Norwegian coast. "Admiral Beatty's squadron was in great danger, the Germans being discovered to be ,of great strength.. Admiral Jellicoe appeared on the scene and a battle on a gigantic scale ensued."

The same agency learns from the Admiralty that Admiral Jellicoe's and Beatty's latest reports nave caused a feeling of elation. They may be summarised'as follows:—"We went \mu within the enemy's waters seeking a fight. Our inferior fleet engaged the entire German battle fleet and forced them to return to'jiarbor 'and abandon any enterprise they may have contemplated." fil . .:;. '.r.', iv ,'

THE ZEPPELINS' PART.

"THE EYES OF THE FLEET."

London, June 3

The Daily Express states that probably the Zeppelins were largely respoiis;ble for the enemy's escape. -mm real function was to play the part of "the eyes of the fleet," and-the withdrawal of the Germans before the British dreadnoughts suggests that the.y had far-seeing eyes.

Copenhagen; June 3.

A fisherman at Leving reports that he saw a Zeppelin afire,, and destro.y ed, 'forty miles.off the Thyboron canal. The entire crew perished.

A fisherman at Ilingkjobing saw another Zeppelin destroyed. Six Zeppelins that were assisting included L 24, which was hit several times forward, and had many of the crew wounded, but she managed to reach Schleswig after jettisoning all supplies.

GEORGE BOURNS.

London, June 4

On the oceasion\of the royal birthday, Admiral Jellicoe sent the King the'Grand Fleet's humble duty and good wishes, with the hope and determination that through victory the blessings of peace may be restored. The King replied: "I am deeply touched by the message you sent me on behalf of the Grand Fleet. It reaches me on the morrow of a battle which has once more displayed the Splendid gallantry of the officers and nun under your command. I mourn the loss of brave men, many of them personal friends of my own, who have fallen in their country's cause. Yet even more. I regret that the German High Seas Fleet, in spite of the heavy lossci, we're enabled by the misty weather to evade the full consequences of an encounter which they always professed to desire, but for which, when the opportunity arrived, they snowed no inclination. Though the enemy's retirement immediately after the opening of general engagement robbed us of the opportunity of gaining a decisive victory, the events of last Wedj m •■(].:y amply justify my confidence I in the valor and efficiency of the fleets 1 under your command.''

W.F. CKUnCHILL'S COMMENT. COMPARISONS OF LOSSES. i Mr Churchill, commenting on the battle said: "I had an opportunity of examining the Admirals' reports, and considering th. .':;f.filiation in the Admiralty's possession, and the fol--1 nving facts seem to me to be established. Firstly, that the naval supremacy of the British fleet in capital ships depends upon uie super-dread-noughts that are armed with 13.5 in. and 15-in. guns. These are sufficient by themselves to maintain control of the seas, being vital units of the first jrank. * The Queen Mary alone of this class was lost, and it appears undoubted that the Germans lost at least one comparable ship. If this was the Lutzow or Derfflinger, that vessel would be a heavier' loss to them actually and relatively than the Queen Mary to us.

I "Secondly, coming to vessels of tho second order the Indefatigable and Invincible were entirely different from super-dreadnoughts, and though valuable did not rank as primary units at the present time, and the dreadnought battleship Westfalen type would be a loss comparably to either.

i "We have very large superiority in the third order of ships, to wlreh the Black Prince, Defence, and Warrior [belong. The sinking of the brand new light cruisers Wiesbaden and Elbing is a more grievious loss to the enemy than all those vessels. "The most * serious feature is the loss of the splendid and irreplaceable crews. The destroyers' casualties are about equal, and we being the stronger are the gainers. Our flotillas had long sought such opportunities. "Thirdly, our margin of superiority is in no way impaired. The despatch of troops to the Continent should continue with the utmost freedom, as an additional security to us.

j "Fourthly, the hazy Aveathe'r,- the fall of night, and the retreat of< the enemy alone frustrated the persevering efforts of those brilliant commanders, Admirals Jellicoe and Beatty, to force a final decision. Although it was impossible to compel i?ho German main fleet to accept battle, the conclusions reached at are of extreme importance. When all classes of vessels on both sides now meet we know that there will be no surprises or unforseen features. An accurate measure can be now taken of the strength of the enemy, and the enemy's.definite inferiority has freed any elements of uncertainty. The fast division of the Qiieen Elizabeth's class seems vindicated, and all , hopes, .are- reposed in them. , | ...,.-. •. .;• "I pannot record these facts without | expressing profound sympathy with those.who have lost their dearest ones. Many of the most gallant sailors our island ever nurtured and some splendid officers have gone, but they died as they would have wished, in a blue water action which, as studied, will more and more be found to be <a definite step towards complete victory.

IN DANISH WATERS.

GERMANS TAKE REFUGE.

London, June 3

. It is..rumoured'in responsible City circles that eight German warships took refuge in Danish waters, and the twenty-four hours? notice to quit expired at noon to-day.

EYE-WSTNESS' ACCOUNTS

START OF THE FIGHT.

Copenhagen, June 2

The captain of the Danish steamer Fjord narrates that 120 miles west of Hanrholm he was stopped by a Ger mail destroyer. Four British destroyers arrived and fired on the destroyer. A large German fleet then approached at lull speed, and the British torpedoers immediately fled. Hundreds of German J.,-/.i.; splashed around the torpedoers without hitting them. The Fjord counted five large modern German dreadnoughts, eight cruisers and twenty torpedoers. The Danish steamer Naisborg witnessed the battle eighty miles off Hanstholm. There were forty man ships, ranging from battleships to torpedo-boats, going at full speed and hidden in smoke. The cannonade, began at 3.30. The German fleet, two miles distant, was firing in a southerly direction on the British warsiiips, which were invisible, but British shells were falling steadily and with increasing rapidity among the Germans, who were all firing tneir guns as rapidly as possible. The cannonade was audible late in the evening. Esbjerg fishermen declare that they saw ninety ships steaming northward on Wednesday evening and a much greater number on Thursday. A violent cannonade at 2 a.m. on Thursday lit the sky. The Germans

disappeared in the direction of Helijgolaiid and the British departed westijwards.

Firing comnuv.c.J at 1 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, the maximum taking place between 0 and 8 o'clock. It ceased at 10 o'clock. The battle apparently commenced sight miles south-west of Stavanger (on the west coast of Norway), and moved southerly.

The greater part of the German fleet returned, but straggling, evidently severely damaged. Ten destroyers passed the Little Belt, going very slowly. Six were severely damaged. The Kaiser inspects the fleet at WTthehnshaven on Saturday.

THE SIGHT OF A LIFETIME.

The skipper of the trawler John Brown says that two German warships were sunk in less than an hour after the opening of the action. Later he rot into the thick of the battle. The big German battleships speeded south, with the British in hot pursuit. It was a real pursuit, the British fixing searchlights on the enemy and pouring a rain of shells. The roar w'as ileafening. The air was full of smoke, the outlines of the ships being barely visible, and the air was pierced with the red stabs of the shots. In tli9 Evening a German warship fired a light ball, apparently as a signal to Hee south, as a quarter of an hour afterwards seven German battleships passed the John Brown, going south md steaming at about thirty knots. Firing still lit'the sky in the distance till about 2 o'clock in the morning.