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Setting Out The Result

ADMIRALTY STATEMENTS.

BRITISH LOSSES FULLY STATED.

EIGHTEEN ENEMY SHIPS uOST.

[Uniikd Febss Amooiatiow.l London, Juno 4

The Admiralty announces that undoubtedly the German losses were heavier tlmn the British, not merely relatively, but absolutely. Meanwhile Admiral Jellicoe, having driven the enemy to port, returned to the main scene of action, scorned tie sea, and searched for disabled vessels. By Thursday evening nothing more could be done, and Admiral Jellicoe returned to his bases, four bundled miles >’.vay, re-fuelled the fleet, and was again ready for sea on June 2. ■ There is nothing to add to the British losses, which have already been fully ‘stated. 'The' enemy’s'accounts of our losses arc false, and from such, evidence as has come to out knowledge there is nO doubt that the German losses are heavier 1 than the British, not merely relatively' to the strength of the fleets, but absolutely. There seeing the strongest grounds for ‘supposing that the Germans lost two battleships, two of their most powerful dreadnought cruisers, the light Cruisers Wiesbaden and Elbing, a ""light cruiser of the Rdstock type, the light cruiser Fraiienlob, and at least nine .destroyers and, a submarine. 4 ‘ '-.i' i , ; ■,

Untilt Admiral Jellicoe is able to supply a full despatch an attempt to give details of the history, of the engagement would bo prematpre, but the results are quite plain. *, ; , The Grand Fleet came into touch with the High Seas Fleet at 3,30 on. the' afternoon of the 31st- ult. Iho leading ships of the two fleets engaged, in a vigorous'fight, wherein battlecruisers, fast battleships, and subsidiary- craft took an active part, tap losses being severe on both sides. When the main body Of the British tame into contact with the Geimans, a very brief period sufficed to compel the latter, who were severely punished, to seek refuge in protected waters. This manoeuvre was possible owing to low visibility and the mist. Although the Grand Fleet was now and then'able to get into momentary contact with our opponents, no continuous action was possible. They continued the pursuit until the light wholly failed, while the British destroyers successfully attacked during the night. According to Admiral Beatty’s report, early in the engagement a Gciman battle-cruiser, after being hotly engaged, blew up, broke in two and sank. Zeppelins did not play the part attributed to them, the weather conditions being such .that it was very doubtful whether aircraft would have been of much service. The enemy did not spring surprises, and no tricks were used that were not already known in naval warfare.

Pending Admiral Jellicoe’s complete report, onlv fragmentary incidents are. available, among these being the torpedoing of the ought Marlborough, which is now safely in harbor. She must have struck a veritable hornets’ nest of submarines. By skilfully manoeuvring she avoided three before she was finally hit. LIST! OF CASUALTIES. HEAVY TOLL OF OFFICERS. London, June 4. The first officers’ casualty list contains a list of 320 killed, .including Admirals Hood and Arbuthnot, and thirty wounded. The following is a summary of the officers killed: — On. the Queen Mary—The captain, two commanders, and fifty-five others. On the Invincible —Admiral Hood,

the captain, two commanders, and fifty-six others.

On the Indefatigable—The captain, commander, and fifty-five others. On the Defence—Admiral Arbuthnot, the captain, three commanders, and fifty-one others, i On the Black Prince— I The captain, commander, and twenty-five others. On the Warrior—One officer. On the Tipperary—The captain and ten others. On the Turbulent—Five officers. On the Fortune—Four officers. On the Ardent—Four officers. On the Nomad—Six officers. On the Nestor—The commander and six officers. On the Sparrowhawk—None. On other " ships—-Twenty-one officers. Died of wounds 2, severely wounded 3, wounded 19. The killed include five fleet surgeons, eighteen surgeons and seven chaplains. , ' EYE-WITNESSES’ ACCOUNTS ' * • ll* ;r;1 . , London, June .4. In an intorvipvv * by the American Associated Press with a. naval, officer of high, rank, ,tiie officer declared tjujfc further details gave an even more; heartening effect than the news published to-day. ■ \ ? ~ The officer says: “Lean only say that, wo were looking for fight when the fleet went out. The stories that the fleet was decoyed bj” the Germans is the sheerest nonsense. In a word, we engaged the entire German High Seas Fleet and drove them back to their harbors. In doing this we sustained heavy losses, which we expected, but we also attained the expected result of forcing the enemy to abandon their plan and take refuge in their own waters. ■ ■' .i'-! >

MORE HEARTENING NEWS. SHEER NONSENSE EXPOSED. With the exception of tAvo divisions, of Avhich part AA r as only partially engaged, the brunt of the battle Avas borne by the battle-cruiser fleet, and Avith one exception, our battle fleet Avas ready for sea service. We bad exceptionally hard luck Avith the battle-crui-sers, but the loss does not cripple our control of the sea. FOUR PHASES OF THE ACTION. The great battle had four phases:— First, when the battle cruisers at six miles’ range joined action with the German battle cruisers; shortly afterwards the second phase began with the arrival of battleships on both sides. The Germans arrived first, bur before their arrival our three battle-cruisers had been blown .up, supposedly as a result of gunfire, but lucre is a possim. ity that they Avere torpedoed. “At such a close range the fighting by battle-cruisers might be criticised as bad tactics; but the Fleet Avas following the traditions of the Navy, and" went out to engage the enemy. Owing to the Avcather avc could only do so at short range. “The third phase of the engagement was that the battleships were never more than partially engaged. This phase included a running fight, as the Gorman dreadnoughts lied toAvards their base. All the big ships’ fighting was over by 9.15 p.m., and then came the weirdest feature of the battle. The German destroyers made attack after attack, like infantry folloAving artillery preparations, on our big ships; but these onslaughts Avere singularly futile, not a single torpedo getting homo. With the morning the attacks ended.

“The battle-ground was then scoured by Admiral Jellicoe’s fleet, which reported that not a single enemy was in sight.” THE THRILL OF BATTLE. RACING TO MEET THE ENEMY. SUPPRESSED EXCITEMENT. RELIEF WHEN THE GUNS CAVE TONGUE. London, June 5. The Scotsman publishes an eye-wit-nesses’ narrative. “We fought what in its way was a great fight, although it wasn’t a sailor’s battle. It was both grand and terrible. As a spectacle it was magnificent and awful, how awful i- was impossible to say until the fever of the action surging through every nerve and fibre of the body had sub-

sided, and until tlio guns were silenced and the great ships, some battered ana others absolutely untouched, ploughs nome. I never will forget the thrill which passed through the ships of 1 1> grand fleet when the inspiring messag came from the battle cruiser squadron . ‘I am engaged with heavy forces of tli enemy.’

“The ofleet was electrical. i? Taigcr ness and suppressed excitement, wit absolute confidence, could he read a; the men went about their duties wii a vigor born of new hope. The grea ships, swung in battle order and doi i all the speed they knew, raced for th enemy waters. Men were at then; sla tioiis grim and silent, the guns point ing menacingly ahead-. As we die near the scene of action, drifting dew; ceaselessly, the keenness of thebme was almost unbearingly intense.' I s was a blessed relief when ourYgu.n. gave tongue. j WHITE ENSIGN AT EVERY 1 YARDARM. I “The ships went into action as it n manoeuvres. From every yardarm tfu White Ensign flew. We passed a lorn lino of German ships, some miles away wilich fired broadside after broadside The air was heavy with massed smoke, black, yellow and green, hiding some times friends and sometimes foes. Th. enemy ships were firing very fast, bin their shooting was decidedly erratic Repeatedly salvoes of shells fell fa short of their mark, followed by oth ers which screamed past and high ii the air.

j “I watched the Iron Duke sa int through the seas, letting off broadsid *after broadside, wicked tongues o flame leaping through the clouds o ; smoke. The battle was stunning an ■stupendous, as hundreds of the heavi |est guns in the world gave tongue iSimnltaneously great masses of wate rose like waterspouts mast high; No and then an enemy shell found itmark.

“One of many sad sights seen wathat of a destroyer, half a mile awa' which was badly hit. It sent a mes sage, T am in a sinking condition,’ bu, there was no one to help. “It was impossible to see what waf happening to the enemy. Occasionally the wind lifted the smoke cloud. At one time we saw two vessels red with fire. A ’fellow-officei''-’remarked 'that these' beggars were done , 'foi , .’* ! An?M) v. we knew our own losses with some exactness, thbuglr even these’ vWe ujloertain. At one tiffin Hve thought the Lion wafe• Tost, as : lt j failed' to ans Aver bur call. Itk* Avii-ele'si waff destloyca “With dusk came the crafts’ opportunity. Both ‘Hides used i to if he 'full. ! Gne of our destroyers dashed for an enemy ship and loosen its"' torpedo tubes with deadly <Ti ■' The Germany battleship sank and the destroyer raced to safety. The c> miuander received ungrudging congra: illations. “It was curious to note the effect on the sea, Avhich avhs cairn at the beginning, but the Avater soon looked as if a gale had sprung up, so great Avas the turmoil caused by the f ploughing, leviathan ships! The Avater also seemed stiff with, fish killed by bursting shells, thousands floating listlesslyeverywhere.” R ETU RN D:1 \ FLEET. P-JXI V. ■‘Ol ■■■'- AT;) llf W W,T 1 w GERMAN SHIPS OUT OF EFFECTIVE ACTION. London, June 5. An officer Avho Avitnessed tire return of part of the British fleet states t the majority shoAved small signs **f the conflict, and the creAVS vehemently insist that the Germans suffered,a fai heavier pounding than our ships did. Their general opinion is that the German Hgh Seas Fleet has been put out of effective action for some time. SCENES AT THE ADMIRALTY. London, June 5. There are many affecting scenes at the ‘Admiralty, Avhere there is a ‘con stant stream of enquirers, mostly avomen, but occasionally old men and boys and khaki officers, in a few cases the enquirers were overjoyed to that a sailor had been transferred-from one of the. stricken ships. The Avomen received the bad tidings Avith quiet dignity, but some Avere overcome, Bed Cross nurses, .attending to them. GERMAN CLAIM TO VICTORY NOT WARRANTED. Worldwide telegrams give the vet diet of neutral experts, avlio declare that the German claim of a victory is ■not Avarranted. All neAVspapers emphasise that the blockade is not affected, and that the Germans still remain bottled up. JUBILATION IN RUSSIA. “THANK YOU, ENGLAND !” Petrogra'd, June 5. There is great public admiration of the British heroism in the naval light.

Englishmen who are recognised in tho streets are greeted with tho salutation, “Thank yon, England ! Newspaper., \ u ,v the battle as unloubtedlv a British success, and the lu'ssky Invalid says that it dispels die rainbow hopes reposed in the, precocious Germany navy. WORLD PRESS COMMENT. STATEMENT cf the t,mes ’ NAVAL EXPERT, London, Juno 4. The Times’ naval correspondent .bates that only a portion of Admiral ellicoe’s fleet appears to have participated in the battle. The latest types

f the largest warships were engaged, he heaviest guns known in modern ieets were brought into ’action; The ■asualties were mainly confined to

:misers and smaller vessels, in which •e have the largest preponderance. Those conversant with the conditions if sea warfare always expected the British navy’s far-flung operations v-onld hardly be maintained against

,uch a wily and implacable foe withnit loss, and the nation will accept die losses with keen regret, hut unuffled calmness. The official facts reveal that tho lerman high sea fleet, in full force, vas discovered on Wednesday off the Denmark coast. The fastest ships of he Grand Fleet were engaged in orler to hold them until the main fores came into action, aiid it is maniest that the British forces were out-

umbered, which explains ,the serious asses in ships bearing the brunt of he action, technically it was the ierman plan to shirk a further action vhen Admiral Jellicbe’s ships arrived m the scene. , The enemy selected a aoment of low visibility, which was lecidcdly favorable for his manoeuvres, which were daring and skilful, mabling him to obtain the most important German success yet had. The German account of the fight igrees largely with ours, but Berlin miitted to mention the destruction of the Lutzow, one of the finest five bat-tle-cruisers left. The Germans admit the loss of the Pommern, which Russian and British submarines claimed to have sunk months ago. , Noth’ng can Alter the significance of the fact that the'Grand Fleet is es-j sontially . intact, qncT , until, Admiral | Jollicoe’s ; 'fi)i’crf' ’is* "overthrown no j imount of partial gains can alter the j course of ,they.pap in .^ermanyfavor. J Without indulging in that solf-satis-, action and M cjompfacejicy against i which Admiral Beatty recently warn'd us, it may be confidently expected that our seamen, are uns»ftused in spirit and morale, and will exact full retribution battle.

AMERICAN OPINION.

'Bondon, June 5

The Chicago News’' London correspondent says that the Britishers smashed the G'eMian battle formation 'completely. Although the British waTlieavy Tt was not" ihcbrhfhe'h 1 feurate^.,^ the Kaiser’s Armada, winch was so battered and impaired that it can be eliminated frbin British calculations for a considerable period.

BERESFORD’S views,

NAVY’S TRADITIONS NEVER BETTER EXEMPLIFIED. ENEMY DESIGNS IN BALTIC SMASHED. London, June 5. The Daily Chronicle interviewed Lord Charles Beresford. He said; “I cannot understand how anybody can regard the battle with any feeling but pride and gratitude. However much we may deplore the loss of gallant men and fine officers and ships, it was a triumphant victory. The traditions of the navy were never better exemplified. The' first communique spread the idea that we had suffered a reverse. The following statements were bettor. The German battle fleet had been brought to action in the North Sea. After a severe and prolonged engagement they had been driven back to their ports.” ,<

Lord Beresford declared that it was highly important to the allies and neutrals and the boys in the trenches that they should be properly informed as to what their comrades in the navy had accomplished. “THE DAY”S “The battle was not a mistake of any kind,” continued Sir Charles. “Lacking in Zeppelin scouts, the cruisers were compelled to "go a long way ahead of the battle fleet to get information of the enemy’s formations. The Germans’ objective was to meet and defeat the British fleet. It was indeed ‘The Day,’ yet on meeting a portion of our fleet, after a big fight*they had been forced to retreat to a place where their ships had been immured for so long. Admiral Beatty, having discovered the enemy’s strength, might have retired to port. I hat was not the navy’s way. Admiral Beatty took the risk, and he was perfectly justified. It was a magnificent thing,

cations and pummel the German fleet, but to fight i.. hold it until the battle fleet arrived, i lie thickness of the weather explains the distance of the battle fleet behind the cruisers, which can afford to go full speed in a fog where a battle fleet was not justifieu in doing so.

ARMCHAIR CRITICS SQUASH £3.

“The experts who say Beatty made ; technical error in engaging the fleet ail to realise the spirit of the navy, inmely, to attack the enemy wherever ho i.s to he found. It is curious that irmchair critics for months have been damoring for the navy to do somehing. Now it had done something ery great, they accused the navy of saving blundered. The action had itterly smashed the German plan of •ampaign in the Baltic, which would be disabled for some time, resulting in enormous assistance to the Russians. Again, it proved a success for nirselves and our allies, who depend •utiroly upon the British fleet. The xavy repudiates the suggestion for the reconstruction of the Admiralty. While assisting in every way possible, tho Admiralty’s present sound policy was to leave everything to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.”

FRENCHMEN IMPRESSED.

REJOICINGS FOLLOWS DISMAY.

RESOLUTE OFFENSIVE URGED.

The consternation caused by the first account of the naval battle ( gave way to great rejoicing oh Sunday night over the British victory. -Even the Yerdun battle is relegated to second place. The news that the full German fleet refused to fight and fled to within their own waters has greatly impressed the public. Admiral De Gouy, writing to the press, urges that the British fleet should make full use of the opportunity now presented to pursue a resolute offensive at whatever cost.

•GERMAN pETffEAT OBSCURED

is if A iL),( V. 1!) ““I wT. * Per Press Association. .j,-- - ■-, ■ Wellington, June B.j • “I know those northern coasts, and I can imagine the engagement ; a's it occurred,” said Sir Rider Haggard, speaking of the naval battle at > the civic reception tendered to him today. “I can see the low-lying coast

and misty stormy seas, the torpedo boats templing the enemy out, and then the rush of the enemy battle squadron to meet Our numerically weaker and lighter the desperate fray lasting .through the gfey day till night, the unequal fight until finally the .approach of the British battle squadron, and the flight ofenemy baying the seadcoyerAi} , .wifh wreckage and with ■ bb i “The a: : victory. It is a lie. Do victpfiliUfi fleets rush as fast as steam*, .edifc'bfebe- them back to the shelter of their own mine-fields and their own harbors? BV that fact alone we know’ that it,is a lie. ,-As a cuttlefish obscures its retreat by throwing out ink around it, so the Germans obscure their retreat with the ink of lies. Although one squadron mot the full weight of their navy, although many of our ships were destroyed, yet it was a victory that we will write on our banners. After that unequal fight for old England and Empire there remained after this terrible fray victory and pride, and for our dead an immortal wreath of glory.”

PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT.

Wellington, June 3

The Px-ime Minister stated to-day that sufficient information had not come to hand to enable us to form a definite opinion as to what had taken place in the North Sea, but it was quite certain that the losses on both sides had been very heavy, and on the news available the British had lost more seriously than the Germans. “Our consolation.” added Mr Massey, “lay in the fact that the German fleet had been driven back to port, and in that respect the British had the best of the fight. We could not expect to escape losses, but nothing could shake the steadfast determination of British citizens all over the world to see this war through at all costs and at any' scai’ifices.”

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Loudon, June 5

Among the lost was Commander Pennell, of the Queen Mary, who served during 1910-1913 in the Antarctic expedition. One of the first vessels to draw the German fire was a destroyer, which was badly damaged., A shell killed an entire gun-crew, but a man rushed

forward and kept the gun-firing. In another instance all the gun crew were killed except one, who continued to charge and fire the gun. This destroyer’s crew are confident that the Derfflinger is lost, as they saw her afire.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/STEP19160606.2.20.1

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 53, 6 June 1916, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,288

Setting Out The Result Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 53, 6 June 1916, Page 5

Setting Out The Result Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 53, 6 June 1916, Page 5

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