Imperial Valley press., 1915-01-25

London, Jan. 25.-King George to-
day sent personal message of CON
graduation to Vice Admiral Beatty
on the victory of his fleet over the
German squadron in the North sea
yesterday, when the German armored
cruiser Bluecher was sunk and two
other German cruisers badly dam
aged IN an attempt to repeat the at
tack recently made on Scarborough
and Hartlepool.
The entire English nation is cele-
brating the triumph won by the sail
ors in what naval experts call "the
most important naval battle of the
war"
A statement issued in Berlin, say
ing British cruiser was reported
sunk in the battle is declared by Eng
lish officials to be an attempt on the
part of the Germans to minimize the
victory of Sir David Beatty.
Siiii3 c'ti' ~ Ia WllclcSSD- u lie
German admiralty, in commenting on
the naval battle in the North sea
yesterday, admits the sinking of the
Bluecher, but also announces that
Britisher cruiser is reported 20 have
been sunk and claims that all German
ships except the Bluecher returned to
harbor safely.
London, Jan. 25.-In naval battle
III the North sea early Sunday morn
ing the German armored cruiser
Bluecher, 1880 tons displacement,
was sunk, and two other German
cruisers were badly damaged, accord
ing to an official announcement made
by the British admiralty through the
press bureau today. Only 125 Of the
Bluecher's crew of 885 were rescued.
The official announcement follows:
early this morning the British pa
trolling squadron of battle cruisers
and light cruisers under Admiral Da-
vid Beatty and destroyer flotilla
under Commodore Tyrwhitt sighted
four German battle cruisers, several
light cruisers and a number of de-
stroyers steering westward and APP
parently making for the English coast.
Immediately upon sighting the
British fleet the enemy made for home
at high speed. They were at once
pursued and about 9:30 a. m. were
brought within range, and an action
followed between the British battle
cruisers Lion, Tiger, Princess Royal,
New Zealand, on the one side, and
the German armored cruiser Bluecher
and the battle cruisers Derfflinger,
Seydlitz and Moltke on the other.
"A well contested fight ensued and
shortly after l o'clock the Bluecher,
which previously had fallen out of
line, was capsized and sank.
admiral Beatty reports that two
other German battle cruisers were Sc
riously damaged, but were able to
continue their flight until they
reached an area where the danger
from German submarines and mines
prevented further pursuit by the
British.
"No other ships were lost and our
casualties among the personnel pres
ent are reported: The battle cruiser
Lion, which led them, had only II
wounded There were none killed. But
125 of the survivors of the Bluecher
were rescued out of crew of 1885,
It is possible that others may have
been saved by some of our destroy
ers, but no reports from any destroy
er or light cruiser of their part in
the fighting had yet been received
by the admiralty"
The Bluecher was laid down in Oc-
tober. 1906 and was launched in
April, 1903. 1t cost $6,745,000. It's
big guns were replaced in 1912 by
twelve S.1-inch and eight 8.6-inch. It's
length was 489 feet and it was 80
feet wide on its beam. The battle
cruiser was built at Kiel.
OF the units engaged the Lion and
Princess Royal are sister battle cruis-
ers. They were commissioned in 1910
and 1911, respectively, and each car
ries eight 13.5-inch guns on broad
side, four of which are ahead and two
astern, besides sixteen 4-inch guns
and two torpedo tubes submerged on
broadsde and one (submerged)
astern. On the water line they are
CTS feet long and 86R feet beam,
with 26,35O tons displacement, speed
of 28 knots and complement Of 1000
men.
The New Zealand is 26-knot bat
tie cruiser of the 1909 class, sister
ship of the Indefatigable. Her dis
placement is 1880 tons, she is 57S
feet long on the water line and meas
So rof fooI On tho hean1 E,ipht