The Washington times., 1915-01-25

indicated by the admiralty's official
statement. This said the cruiser
Bleucher had been sunk and two
other cruisers injured, but that these
two got away safely.
Dutch reports said a crippled
cruiser, apparently of the type Of
the Strassburg or the armored cruis.
er Room, was limping at half speed
toward the island of Borkum, off
the mouth of the Ems river.
That the German war craft was
one Of the lighter cruisers engaged
by British destroyers after the
Bluecher had been sunk and two
tom was the belief in naval circles
here. The admiralty today bed no
details of this supplementary en-
gagement.
Two Cruisers Badly Pounded.
Two more Of the German battle cruis.
ers that attempted the dash toward the
British coast are reported to have been
badly pounded by British guns. No re-.
ports from German sources of the loss
OF life aboard the German cruisers that
sought refuge behind the mine, area hnva
been received here. but the admiraltv is
confident that the casualty lists are
large. So far as is known only 1aa of
the Biuecher's crew Of S85 were saved.
Exultation In England.
Exultation over England's naval vic.
tory here today took the form of a
demand that England NOW wine out
tho German navy" That GERMANY an
ticipates just such q move is indicated
In dispatches from Copenhagen. They
report great activity at the German
naval base at Kiel, and evidences of
preparation to meet an Englis raid.
I'VE have Inundated the baby killers
who shelled unprotected English coast
towns" declared one English paper to-
to finish the work.
Sinking Of the Bluecher particularly
aeoused wild enthusiasm here because
the Bluecher. according to best reports.
was one of the. German battleships
other English coast towns. Vice Ad-
miral Beatty's victory has completely
silenced criticism Of Admiral Jellicoe's
failure to prevent the Scarborough raid
The English papers today take the view
SuoI naval TdlQS on the tEDRU9h
coast will never again be attempted.
The most daring pitcher goes to the
well once too often" observes one Lon
don paper.
Chase Begins Soon After Dawn.
While the admiralty does not state
in its official report where the battle
took place. it is believed from other
reports that the running fight started
just north of the Islands OF Ameland
and schiermonnik-Oog. These are parts
OF chain of islands that skirt the
northern coast Of Holland and on Ame-
land is the town Of Mes, where the
residents few days ago sighted the
three Zeppelins as they passed west.
ward bound for the English coast to
crop bombs on Yarmouth. Cromer,
places.
At Mes and other points in the north
OF Holland the booming OF the big guns
could De heard plainly during the morn
ing, and the residents knew that
naval battle was in progress.
IN leaving the naval base at Cux-
maven: protected by the big guns Of
Heleoland. the German squadron ap-
parently took the most direct route to
reach the open waters of the North
Sea- They passed between the Holland
coast and Helgoland. probably close
to the Dutch coast.
I'LL.
trolling that section of the North Sea,
which Is the most dangerous because
OF the mine fields. sighted the Ger
mans soon after daylight. according to
pursuit.
That It was a long pursuit, even be-
fore the British battle cruisers got into
range with their thirteen-an nd a half
they did not open fire until $3.50 O'Clock.
Stopped BY Mine Fields.
Then. for four hours. or therea bouts.
che engagement continued. It was a
pursuit fight. with the Germans crowd
ing on every ounce Of steam In their
flight for the mine protected area. AS
they ran they kept their rear batteries
pumping shells at their pursuers. But,
apparently, they could not reach their
marks. The British remained back far
enough to keep out of range Of the Ger
mans Finch guns and close enough to
make the shells from thei, own 1885,
inch guns effective.
It was l o'clock before the Bluecher,
which had been hammer ed and pound
60 S. 80 oo%,y severely by the British fire that
panions. rolled and sank: Up to that
had proceeded without a halt.
It was about that time that the Der
reached the mine fields which had
had been planted by the Germans.
Fearing to lose their own vessels the
British turned back and were compelled
to let the three German battle cruisers
escape, although two OF them were
showing signs Of distress.
Beatty Is England's Hero.
Vice Admiral Beatty was England g
hero today. His rout OF the German
raiding fleet Off the Holland coast Yes
terday, coupled with his victory off
Helgoland on August %, have marked
him as the most brilliant British navaI
commander OF the war.
Without exception the London papers
generously point out that Beatty's
squadron was overwhelmingly superior
to the Germans, both In armament and
size. 1t Is asserted, however, that
against similar odds Admiral Cradock
did not hesitate to accept the German
challenge, whereas the Germans in yes
terday's battle fed homeward when
the British war vessels We're sighted.
The promptness with which the Brit
ish fleet met the attack Is another
cause OF rejoicing here. The exact po-
sition OF the great British North Sea
neet has been a mystery since the war
began. 1t was the popular belief that
the most powerful ships of the British
navy We're in harbor. held there safe
from submarine raids. On the con.
lrQfV. the hot do iO q