Evening star., 1915-01-26
Assert One British Cruiser and
Two Torpedo Boats Were
Sunk in Sundays Battle.
OTHER SERIOUS DAMAGE
OBSERVED BY AIR CRAFT
Result of North Sea Engagement BE.
ceived by Teutons With Great
Satisfaction.

MALMOE,- sweden. January 20. via
Lt adon.-It In persistently asserted
here that the German protected cruiser
GaxeIle was tOrped0ed yesterday BY
Submarine of unknown nationality at
q point in the Baltic near the Island
of Ruegen. which il OF the coast OF
Prussia. Although the Gazelie was
damaged she was able to return to the
port Of sassnitz.
BERLIN. January &c. by wireless to
Iondon.-Additionald details of the sink
ing of a British battle cruiser in the
naval fight in the North sea west OF
Helsoland, which is claimed by the
Germans, is given in a statement is
sued here today. The statement fol-
lows:
According to well informed German
sources, this cruiser suffered heavily
from the fire of our cannon. and was
then sunk by German torpedo boat by
two we'll directed shots. The sinking
was observed by German airship,
which followed the battle closely.
1.-TWO English torpedo boats also were
sunk. The airship also observed the
serious damaging of other Enghsh
ships.
Torpedoes Responsible.
Details so far available here concern
inr the North sea naval engagement
indicate that torpedoes may nave peeh
responsible for the sinking OF the Ger
man armored cruiser Bluecher
II is conjectured here that the tor
. pedoes, which are believed to nave sent
both the German and Britlsh "arsnaps .a
delivered by tor
pedo boat destroyers between the INES
of cruisers, 1t being argued that the
range of from S19 to 12e miles over
which the fight took place "ouIu nase
been too great for torpedoes shot from
One German cruiser was hit by
shell, but was able to remain IN the
hghting line.
German squadron and Capt Erdmann
the Bluecher Capt Erdmann is among
the survivors landed at Letth
Germany Is Satisfied.
The news of the sea fight was re-
ceived in Germany with much salts"
faction despite the loss Of the Bluecher
While the names of the British par
ticipants in the battle are not yet
known, it is assumed that the five bat
tie cruisers mentioned greatly out,
armament, and in consequence the
newspapers affirm that the withdrawal
of the British ships from the hght
means a German victory agalnst ooos.
Of the British was necessitated by the
damaged condition Of their vessels
Fifty Survivors Landed.
LONDON, January 26.-Fifty sur
vivors Of the cruiser Bluecher were
landed from two British torpedo boat
destroyers today at Leith.
A contingent of the Red Cross Corps
was at the dock with ambulances to
receive twenty-three men who had
been wounded in the fight One of the
wounded Germans had died while on
che way to this port. but the body was
landed. Several of the wounded were
terribly injured.
The prisoners of war were taken in
automobiles to Edinburgh castle. The
men who had escaped unscatched
looked fit and were not downcast. They
watched interestedly the soldiers drill
ing on the parade grounds. The sur.
vivors were dressed mostly in the blue
Of the navy. Some still wore seaboots.
and a few were in their stocking feet.
Purported British Retirement.
Tie Central News has received
dispatch from its correspondent at
= Amsterdam who telegraphs that the
Berlin Lokal Anzeiger, drawing par
ticular attention to the German
official statement that the British
/ warships In thhe North sea fight o.
Sunday were compelled to retire from
the action, expresses itself as follows:
If the British, notwithstanding .ncir
greater strength. broke off the action. this
Is proof that our gunners had them in
- hand. The German seamen again did
tkSir duty. and II has been proved that
British squadron of great superiority
Is by no means able to overcome German
vessels, and in this case quite apart from
the fact that our ships were taken by sur
prise
Twenty Torpedo Craft.
Another dispatch from Amsterdam says
that the German cruisers in the North
sea action were accompanied by twenty
torpedo craft, according to the master
of the Dutch trawler Erica. who declares
he witnessed part of the fight and saw
one Of the Eritish ships slightly damaged.
Message From Gen. French.
The official press bureau gave out the
following message received by the ad-
2 ,niralty from Field Marshal Sir John
French:
Il and the army in France hope tha.
you and our naval comrades will accept
our congratulations on the victory Of the
British fleet in the North sea. Convey
70 Vice Admiral Beatty and Commodore
Tyrwhitt and their officers and men our
admiration and good wishes"
BRITISH ARM0RED SHIP
LOST OFF IRELAND COAST
LONDON. January 26.-U has been
officially announced at the admiralty
that the British srmored merchant YES
sci Nihnor had been lost OF Ireland
with all hands. The vessel, il was
stated. either struck mine or
foundered.
The admiralty statement SAYS:
She has been missing for some days
and must now be accepted a. lost with
all her officers and men. The cause OF
her loss is uncertain. but as some
bodies and wreckage have been washed
ashore on the north coast of Ireland. il
IS presumed that during the recent Ia