Greatest Naval Battle

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

Greatest Naval Battle

BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES. 3EBT S*3AVAL TRADITIONS UPHELD. STIRRING INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT., f UTTERLY DIFFERENT COMPLEXION. (Received 9 a,ni.) London, June 1. The latest facts supplied by courtesy qf the Admiralty and Admiral Jeilieoe';: and Admiral Beatty's reports are fat i'ro.m complete, but they put* an utterH different complexion on the German'account, and remove the cheerless impression caused by t the fu-fjij British

■communique. The reason of this dismall announcement was that until Admiral Jellicpi? readied port on Friday afternoon all that was known was that portion ot the British met the whole German Fleet and drota them :±o (port. Even then, only the barest particulars were available, andi these were published in the evening, throwing such gloom over England as was unequalled ( in the memory' of living man. The Admiralty hastened to publish the more. cheering news, contained in the second communique the moment it was received. THE OUTSTANDING FACTS. The outstanding facts are: First, there were no surprises • Second, the mythical German seven-teen-inch guns failed to materialise; Third, the loss of life was very heavy; Fourth, Zeppelins were conspicuous by their absence j Fifth, gunnery caused a greater material loss than torpedoers; Sixth, the engagement was fought at a distance of between 10,000 and 12,000 yards; Seventh, the battle occupied four phases, beginning with evenly-match-ed battle-cruisers; then the fight be tween the light cruisers, ending in the sudden appearance of German battleships, followed by the approach of the British battleships and the hasty retreat of the Germans; /' ' Finally, the German destroyer attack. The fighting between the battle-crui-sers began at three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. The battleships finished at nine o'clock in the evening, and the destroyer-attack continued later.

LOOKING FOR FIGMT. GERMAN PLANS DEFEATED. Asked whether they were looking foi fight or whether the meeting was accidental, the Admiralty replied: Whenever the Fleet is out it >* always looking for fight," adding that whatever German enterprise there was uiiu> ! come off.

"We drove the whole of them te port, waited on the spot, searched everywhere until Thursday, saw no signs of them, and returnee! home ieisurely. We enly wish they would emerge to-morrow under similar coriditions."

MISTY WEATHER SAVED THE ENEMY. Admiral Jeilieoe sei:l his message to the Admiralty: "My one regret is that it was misty weather on Wednesday, as it saved the enemy." TRUTH ABOUT THE POMMEL. MORE GERMAN TRICKS.

A'jot.t the Pommern, it is understood Unit, the latter was torpedoed in the Gulf of Higa on July 2, 1915. Exports believe that the Pi>:nmem, sunk on Wednesday, is a new Dreadnought christened the old name; otherwise, it is believed the Germans are wishing to gloss over the loss of t'no vessel by a vessel of the Kaiser class introduced in the name of the Pommern, which is a vessel of smaller tonnage. WARSPITE, MARLBOROUGH, AND ACASTA. The Admiralty informed a Neutral journalist that he would have an early opportunity of seeing the Warspite, Marlborough, and Acasta safe in port. MIST FAVORS GERMANY. Admiral Beatty, by brilliant manoeuvring, got between the Germans and their base. That was the time when the mist favored the Germans, for out of the mist suddenly appeared the German battleships, compelling Admiral Beatty to turn oft the range, as the vision was not more than five miles. BEATTYS MAGNIFICENT FIGHT. QUEEN MARY ANO INDEFATIGABLE RECEIVE DEATH-iftfoUi:osi. The Admiralty officials emphasise that Admiral Beatty put up a magnificent fight against tremendous odds. Here, the Queen Mary and Indefatigable received their death-wounds, but not before making the Germans pay dearly for their success. JELLICGE AND HIS BULLDOGS. HOOD LED THE WAY. CERMANS SCURRY FOR HOME. Admiral Beatty says that Admiral Hood led the division into action with most inspiring gallantry, and while it was hottest Admiral Jeilieoe, with his bull dogs, arrived, and a change came over the scene. The Germans scurried ' for home, with Admiral Jeilieoe in hot pursuit. ALL BATTLESHIPS SAFE, Eleven British battleships participated in the actual fighting.. Four arrived early, then came, seven, and though others were present the latter had not fired a single shot. All returned safely.

A torpedo struck the' Marlborough rut she got home safely.

EFFECTIVE ENEMY GUNFIRE.

I Tlje Warspite was knocked about ;by gunfire. It is stated that the Queen .Mary, Invincible, and Indefatigable, wero blown up but not torpedoed. . ; V

DISABLED GERMAN SHIP.

MISSED IN THE MIST.

Regarding tbe German battlecruisers mentioned as disabled and stopping, it was explained that it was the British duty to continue the chase. It was hoped to sink and cripple them on their return. The wea ther was misty at nine o'clock in the evening, and our ships on returning did not find a trace, and it is presumed they sank. DESTROYERS FIGHT SUCCESSFULLY. When the main fight was over, came the destroyer fight, in which the Germans were absolutely unsuccessful, and sustained considerable damage. ONE ZEPPELIN ON THE SCENE. AEROPLANES ASSIST. Only one Zeppelin appeared, but it did not stop long, our gun fire quickly emperilling it. The . rumour that a Zeppelin sank the Queen Mary is • officially described is absurd. Aeroplanes were used, but to what extent or with what success is unknown.

NO EFFECT OH THE NAVY. LOSSES ALWAYS EXPECTED. American journalists asked the Admiralty what effect the action would have on the strength of the Navy. The reply was: "Beyond slightly affecting the strength of the battlncruisers, it is absolutely Jione. We expect to lose ships; that's why we build them. Of course, the heavy loss of life is deplored, buj; in modern naval warfare that is inevitable. There is no time to pick up the men." THIRSTING FOR MORE. Finally, the American said the Germans paid tribute .to the British bravery i" fight, and asked: "What do you say of them?" The Admiralty official replied: "We

havo no fault to find with the German. We only wish they would come out again and soon." j A shell killed Lord French's nephew. I MOST BRSLUANT ACTSON. 1 14 BRITISH :: 27 GERMAN. NO DISASTER, BUT VICTORY. A distinguished Admiral, on beiny, interviewed said: "This is the most brilliant naval action of the war, Admiral Beatty, with fourteen capital ships, taking on twenty-seven of the enemy's and driving them back to port. There has been no disaster, but there has been a victory." 'PUBLIC FEELING REASSURED. ; Now that the scraps of news ca»< ,'be pieced together, public feeling is increasingly reassured. It is indubic'able that the Admiralty's first comjmunique came as a thunderbolt to the (vast majority of the population. There jwas no disguising the alarm and anxiety pictured on all faces on receipt of the news. WORST NEWS FIRST. Though the rumours abroad »n the city on Friday were discredited as an old story, and the public were caught unprepared, the Admiralty 3 first communique was reassuring in ono respect because the public felt they been told the worst; indeed, there were many complaints at the Adm*ral*v giving the British case at its worst and the enemies' at its besv Besides. the public had no means of viewing the battle in a proper erspective.

GERMANS' DRAMATIC STROKF

FAILS BADLY.

The later fragments seemed to indicate that the Germans, in atfcempfciiti some • dramatic, stroke either igaiyt the English coasts or seeking to m<u:e a breach of the blockade, failed 9Jt iWK Admiral Beatty's vigilance md giilantry, his battle cruisers heavily but, successfully holding up v far superior enemy until Admiral Joili coe's battle fleet had time to arrive. FOREIGN PRESS RECOGNISE BRITISH VICTORY. This view was quickly taken 'yv l'ie French press, • and, similarly, the Dutch papers declare, that the result viewed broadly, is a British victory - since they remain in undisputed possession of the North Sea and W exits THE TRUE PERSPECTIVE. Thp King's message to Admiral felly coe was universally welcomed, pi vein, the battle in its true perspective. No one attempts to minimise sge serious loss of good ships and better men, but'are reassured, after all, :»*t the battle reasserts British naval supremacy which the Germans have not dared seriously to contest with cyr. battle fleet.

SEEN FROM A TRAWLER.

STORY OF THE OPERATIONS.

TRYING TO CUT OFF THE

ENEMY.

PRRHf AWOfIIATTON.I ■ (Received 10.40 a.m.) London, June 4

In a further interview, the skipper of the trawler, John Brown, states: "We were at the fishing hanks at two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, in 56 i degrees north and 61 east, when we saw to the south-eastward a huge German fleet steaming in line ahead west by north-west. There were at least fifty ships of all descriptions, including' Dreadnoughts. An hour later we saw the British fleer, coming from the north-east. It altered its course to get eastward of the Germans. The* first shot was fired at 4.15, and a cannonade began at 4.30. Great columns of smoke arose from two ships, which were probably those of the Germans, who were now due east of the trawler. jThe British fleet, though greatly out'numbered, alterod its course, evidently I trying to cut off the Germans from Heligoland. The Germans then came westward, apparently because they saw a fast British vessel dash out of the line, and feared that British reinforcements were coming. These arrived in sight at seven o'clock, and the Germans began to withdraw, towards Heligoland. The action was general from seven to eleven, when a star shell was fired. The British swept past southward at two o'clock in the morning.

The trawler saw more British destroyers and submarines tearing southeast at six o'clock on Thursday morning, evidently to reinforce their commodes.

THE GERMAN VERSION.

HIGH SEAS FLEET ENCACED.

BRITISH BRAVERY ACKNOW-

LEDGED.

Amsterdam, June 3

A German semi-official message says that Vice-Admiral Scheer commandei: a force consisting of the high seas fleet, with dreadnoughts. The order was ships,, of the hne, battle cruisers, all light units, and submarine flotillas. Vice-Admiral Hipper commanded the reconnaisance forces, which were the fust to give battle to the British bat-tle-cruisers and light cruisers. Subsequently the.whole fleets on both sides participated in the day battlo. The enemy lost the "Warspite and Queen Mary, one armored cruiser, and several destroyers. The remainder of the enemy losses during the night was due to severe torpedo attacks and cruiser fighting. The German lending vessels alone destroyed six modern destroy ers.

All reports from German sources agree in acknowledging the enemy's bravery in an almost continuous battle of twelve hours.

According to trustworthy evidence a great number of British battleships suffered heavy damage from our vessel's artillery and froi.r the attacks ol our torpedo-boat flotillas during the day battle and during the night.

Prisoners' statements confirm the fact that among other enemy losses our torpedoers hit the great battleship Marlborough. " \ Our vessels picked up portion of the crews of the sunken British vessels, including two sole ■ survivors of the Indefatigable, v

On our side, during the day battle, the enemy's artillery sank the amall _..,, cruiser Wiesbaden, and during the - <m night the Pommern was torpedoed. Our high seas fleet returned to our harbors during the course of Friday;. Berlin's official account of the North Sea battle states, inter alia:— ; ' During an enterprise ■ directed ' towards the north our High Sea Fleet on Wednesday met the conside. voly superior main portion of the British Battle Fleet in the course of the afternoon, between the Skagerack, and Hornsreef. A number of severe, and for us successful, engagements : developed and continued all night. As far as at oresent ascertained we destroyed- the battleship Warspite, the battle-!, cruisers Queen Mary and Indefatigable, two armored cruisers • of the Achilles class; one small cruiser, and new des- ' troyer leaders named Turbulent, Nestor, and Alcaster. The message repeats the" statements ;*;' :oncerning losses which are denied by v ihe British Admiralty. We were compelled to blow up the - gibing, which was heavily damaged- ;■ >v collision with another, German >warr. drip. ';■■'*■■', ' ;- : ■ ■;*' '." -, v ; .-: Admiral Stebbinghauss, director of ithe German Admiralty, states thae there is conclusive hews of Germai iamage or losses. Tlie main .portion of :he fleet returned to their harbors. 1 part of our ships was considerably lamaged. The men had shown a splendid spirit and the ships stood the testa excellently. GERMAN NEWSPAPER TALK,

UOTTBDi PRWM 'AWRQCLMIiOS. . Ywwi ;• ■' - : (Received ld:4tiu!m.) >'| ':,?;[■ C\\ >'-■'•,.■ Amsterdam,' June 4.. ■ •■■'*P ~ The' 'Cologne. Gazette saj'i: ' 'Now the rats have again left and are safe In their holes, and bitten* no* tbjq^gb;—; c the oaken walls which, were: Britain's;.h/ ■;: bullwarks in Nelson's time, but through iron-armoured turrets! under -Sst the Union Jack. It wa 3 more' formid-. ' able a battle than: any since TrafaJ- ,fTar. The victory proves that "our Fleet has t for years, been preparing for * »; the decisive moment.; - Englahdfs aittbr ; s;Bp gant presumption has learnt a lesson ? which is burnt in bloody'characters upon her islanders. Therein lies a world of historical importance.'

HOLLWEC'S FELICITATIONS TO THE FLEET.

[UmTira Pbbrs ' (Received .10140 a.m.) ,i London, /June 4.'. i I ' Herr von Bethmauh-Hbllweg : -'tele-<? graphed to the Chief of the High Sea , Fleet :• ./'Pride and enthusiasm • fißa *9 \ the whole of Germany. ( i; The2 fleet ;with|.« : its mighty blows is shown to be superior to an enemy considering himself nvincible, and shows what Germany's ■ea-power can do." The Chief replied: The Fatherland's jride gives us hope that we will be ible to contribute a share of what Germans value in the world. REJOICINGS IN GERMANY. CLAIM TO BRILLIANT VICTORY. Rotterdam, June 8. There are rejoicings throughout the Jerinan Empire. The official communiiue is accepted at its full face value. Experts declare that the English ug ship losses were a hundred thousand tons and the German thirteeu Jiousand tons. Members of the Reichstag Federal Jouncil listened to President Kaempf reading the communique, all standing, flerr Kaempf added: "Several of our 'me ships were lost and many brave sailors perished, but the enemy losses vere several times greater, which is n-oof that our fleet was able to face he superior British naval force and ;ain a victory." The King of Saxony telegraphed the vaiser congratulations, stating that it vas a brilliant victory over the main >art of the English battle fleet. "This

■one of the finest clays for the Fathermd. Our fleet has proved absolutely qual to the army.". . • \,•■■.'. Captain Persius, the German naval vriter, writing in the Berliner Tage-

blatt, states that the German Hoot, in an open sea battle and without coastal support, dealt, a conquering blow 'against'the strongest fleet ill the iworld. I The Deutsche Tages Zeitung says: ("Victory was obtained against superior 'numbers. Our young navy has shown a tremendous superiority over the first 'and greatest fleet in the world." FRENCH PAPeTCOMMENT. A GERMAN DEFEAT. STILL MISTRESS OF THE SEAS. (Received 10.10 a.m.) Paris, Juno i. Newspapers unanimously emphasise the importance of the British driving back the Germans to Kiel, and interpret the result as a German defeat. j Admiral Bcsson Gaulios salutes the 'heroic cruisers bearing the brunt of jthe battle against heavy odds for ten .hours.

M. Reinach, in the Figaro, states that Britain is still the sovereign "Mistress of the Seas."

All the newspapers lay stress on the fact that the strategic situation is unchanged, and that the blockade remains impassable. That is the real test.

M. Pichou, in the Petit Journal, says; We are perhaps, at the commencement of a series of inevitable and foreseen encounters, which l(mgland and the Allies have no cause to fear." The journal remarks: "The German object was to overwhelm an important part of the British fleet by a surprise, but the blow failed." PRAISE FOR THE FLEET. TIGHTENING THE BLOCKADE. (Received 10.10 a.m.) Paris, June 4. Le Temps, explaining the position of the British Fleet, says: "it is hard for sailors trained for battle to patrol the seas unendingly and only net a few dozen submarines. The British Fleet rightly adapted itself. The necessity of the present is war preparation more tmiu operation; it is a war of Government, more than armies. The victory will bo not only to the bravest, but, above all, to the most intelligent. The blockade, enforced as Lord Robert Cecil defined it, is worth more than all the. victory. The British won this, for the, blockade continues, and we are redoubling our watchfulness and tightening our grip. This will suffice." i