The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-25
Germans. Slipping Away From Kie. Apparently Raid,
Sur prised By Beattys Powerful Squadron
With 700 Men, Is Lost In Running Fight


the Blight of Helgoland. and whose 1T
tie flagship, the Arethusa. with her de
stroyer companions, was being badly
battered by the Germans when Beatty
raced into the fight with the Lion. in
stantly turning the tide of battle.
Not the least interesting point OF
the news was the presence OF the bat.
persons has fancied that these in
valuable ships were safe in harbor.
protected from submarine raids, but
ready to speed to sea en- instant call.
1t is not improbable that the admi-
rally had received an !nkiing OF un-
usual activities in the KEEL Canal.
Whatever the reasons Beatty and
the great ships, and Tyrwhitt and the
mosquito fleet were aligned early this
morning squarely across the path OF
German warship raids. Under the
vice-admiral were the flagship Lion.
the New Tiger. the most powerful
battle cruiser IN the world. displactng
ter than thirty knots speed in trials:
the Princess Royal, Of the Lions
class: the New Zealand. built for the
M pire by the Dominion of New Zea-
land. and OF 1880 tons, and the In
domitable, sister ship of the In
vinc!ble. which led in the destruction
of Won Specs squadron.
Speedy and High-Powered.
The Tiger. Lion and Princess Royal
carry main batteries of eight s.5-inch
guns. while the New Zealand and the
1ndomftahle have main batteries OF
eight 12-inch guns. There Ia little
difference in the speed OF these ships.
the Tiger excepted. since the New
rs knots. the Princess Royal for 2Sh
and the Indomitable for 81.
Accompanying the battle cruisers
was the usual fiotiila of light vessels
of the Arethusa and Fearless ciasa
and several destroycrs. Sir David
does not inform the admiralty OF the
exact hour that the presence OF the
German deet Was first detected on the
horizon. but the circumstances OF the
battle indicate that Il could not have
been much later than A. NJ. since
the battle was not begun until a:3o
A. M. and the pursuit must have
continued for a considerable time be-
fore the British ships came within
range OF the slower. fleeing Germans.
The Kaisers fleet was driven west
ward, and there is little doubt that
ii was attempting TO strike the Eng
lish coast for bombardment such as
was delivered at Scarborough. Hartle-
pool and Whitby.
Tho instant the Germans sighted
the British ships they turned and ran
for II. The Bluecher was doomed
from the first. Her best speed, 80
far az Is known, was ass knots. made
on a trial trip in 1909, and she must
have hRAn llcEei NJ ni3lx, hu thu
speed of the Tiger. Lion and Princess
Royal
Fought AT Amazing speed.
The German battle cruisers had q
more even chance as regards speed.
CnQuestionably the British. battle
cruisers surpassed the German ships
OF similar class in the weight and
range Of material.
In Admiral Beatty's report there is
a suggestion that the engagement be-
gan within $50 miles of the German
coast. and ended within less Than fifty
miles of 'Helgoland or Cuxhaveh
From $3.50 A. NJ. until / p NJ there
was q ding-dong night at amazing
speed. the Ave British battle cruisers
firing from forward turrets. the fleeing
German warships replying from their
after turrets.
Inc biueCnGF was crippled anE
abandoned to her fate by the speedier
battle cruisers some time before the
pursuit reached the zone OF mine and
submarine danger. Hard hit and sink
ing. she fell out of line and the battle
famed past her
At p. NJ. she rolled over and dis
appeared from the surface. Mean
while. two OF the German battle cruis-
ers had been reached by the 1875 -inch
guns OF the British but not In vital
spot, They were able to continue theig
headlong flight unfit the certain peril
of mine fields turned the British
back
1t is believer. although no confirma.
tory news has been received, that there
was an engagement between tho
British light cruisers and destroyers
and the German light cruisers. 1t is
not yet known which of the light
cruiser list participated on either
side.
TN NTAX/N'C