The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-01-28
Berlin Hears Rumor That Brit
iSh Also Lost WarShip, But
This Is FIatly Denied
In London.
BIG GUNS SINK BLUECHER
Remainder Of Kaiser's Fleet
Escapes In Mine Fields
outclassed BY Flotilla
Under Admiral Beatty.

London. Jan. 26.-The German official
the North sea says that according to
Information available a British battle
cruiser was sunk. This ia at direct
variance with the official English YER
sion OF the fight. which states that
none of the British vessels was lost.
The German report on the encounter
confirms the sinking Of the German
hrmored cruiser Bluecher and states
that the other German vessels returned
to port
The news of the first battle between
lreadnaughts, yesterday naval en-
gagement In the North sea. has aroused
much more enthusiasm among the Brit
lsh public than either the fight off
5elogland or off the Falkland islands,
although both OF these engagements
perhaps loomed larger in actual re-
suits.
Triumph of Big Guns.
TO the English people the combat of
Yesterday means the triumph of their
long time confidence in their big gun
1!eet ana 1t Gains the fear of the east
coast or frequent repetitions OF the
Hartlepool and Scarborough raid. Sir
David beatty, the youngest admiral In
the British navy, has become the most
popular hero Of the war.
Inc battle yesterday resulted from
another attempted raid on the British
coast by the German fleet similar to
that recently made on SCARBOROUGH,
Whitby and Hartlepool. The British
patrol fleet sighted the Germans short
~ after dawn and running fight en-
sued. the Germans being pursued to
Wlthln few miles of their mine fields
off Helgoland
so far as known only 1913 members OF
the crew of the lost Bluecher were
saved. The Butcher carried a crew of
SS5 men.
British Fleet Superior.
The British were superior in ships
engaged, weight Of armament and
speed, and the flight of the German
shlps into the mine and submarine in
rested field positions probably pre-
vented their destruction.
The ,Bluecher was a cruiser of Is. 500
tons displacement and although com
nlssioned in 1908 was completely re-
rugged last year. She was not classed
as battle cruiser, but was in the next
class to those formidable fighters. With
her were the Derfinger, Germany's
latest battle cruiser, which had Just
lett the builders hands, and the battle
cruisers Seydlitz and MOltke, the latter
a sister ship OF the Goeben, formerly
OF the German, but now of the Turkish
Meet, which recently was reported dam
aged by the Russians in the Black sea-
The British squadron. commanded by
wee Admiral Sir David Beatty, who
also was in command at the battle of
Helgoland last August, consisted of
the battle cruisers Tiger, Lion, Prin-
cess Royal, New Zealond and Indom-
liable.
The first three of these cruisers
mount eight 1875 inch guns and even
the New Zealand and Indomitable carry
12-inch guns, which are equal to those
of the Derflnger, the only one of the
German ships that had better than IL
inch guns.
Commodore Regin Tyrwhitt who
also took part in the battle off Helgo-
land. commanded the light cruisers and
destroyers which accompanied Vice
Admiral Beatty's battle cruisers.
Appeared at Dawn.
The Germans were observed some
time after dawn, proceeding in the di-
rection of the British coast. When
they sighted the superior British fleet
they turned and made at full speed for
home waters, and it was only after a
stern chase that the faster British
ships got within range of them. For
more than four hours the running bat
tie lasted, the firing being plainly
heard in North Holland, where it was
judged the fight took place, north Of
the Stands of Ameland and Schiermon-
nik-Oog.
The Bluecher, which was slower than
the other German cruisers, fell behind
and succumbed to the heavier guns Of
the Lion, which was leading the Brit
ish squadron. The other German ships
got within the mine and submarine
area, two of them in a badly damaged
condition and 1t was dangerous for the
big British battle cruisers to follow.
The fact that only II men were
wounded aboard the Lion, which led
the line, indicates that the British cas-
ualties were light. 1t is possible that
more of the Bluecher's crew were
picked up by the British destroyers.