The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-06-06
Big NAVAL BATTLE
GERMAN ACCOUNT OF THE BAT
TIE ' fH BRITISH IN THE
lORTH SEA.

of the great engagement between the
German high sea fleet and that of
the British.
For obvious reasons the recital
leaves untold the tale OF damages
sustained by German units and the
losses in personnel.
Forces Equal, Say Germans.
The recital meets clearly what is
characterized as the British attempt
to explain defeat by the statement
that the German sea forces in the
action were much larger than those
which the British were able to bring
into play.
This account as given out declares
explicitly that twenty-siX of Vice Ad-
miral Jellicoe's most powerful battle
ships, including six of the Queen
Elizabeth class, and the entire Brit
ish flying wing, composed of battle
cruisers equal in every respect except
armor protection to dreadnoughts,
were engaged in all but the early
stages of the battle.
The fleet thus assembled surpass-
ed in tonnage and weight of broad
sides the German force engaged. was
at least equally modern and was far
speedier than the squadron of Ger
man predreadnoughts, which, lum-
bering along at Is or 10 knots were
soon left far to the rear by their
swifter consorts, out of the main
action.
The report says nothing OF the
brilliancy in battle tactics displayed
by Admirals Scheer and Hipper, the
smoothness and precision with which
the German ships maneuvered and
the deadly sureness of the German
craftsmanship, although il is an
open secret that these three factors
were largely responsible for the
achievements of the Germans.
Battle Range Eight Miles.
II is shown that the Germans on
this occasion, unlike the Dogger
Bank engagement of cruiser squad
rons. were able to choose their dis
tance and fight considerable portions
of the battle at ranges of about eight
miles-now ranked as a moderate
distance-at which the German II
and 12-inch guns were virtually as
effective in penetrating power as the
bigmouthed 13s, las and 15s, with
which the modern British giants are
armed.
German battleships and battle
cruisers were able to shower the
British with a hail of shell which, at
a range of eight miles and sometimes
even closer. smashed and riddled
British armor belts and wrought
havoc to the enemy.
Tell of Battle Details.
"The German high seas fleet had
pushed out into the North sea i'm the
hope of engaging portions of the
English fleet which had recently
been repeatedly reported off the Nor
wegian south coast. At 3:15 in the
afternoon, some seventy miles off
Skagerrack, some small cruisers OF
the Calliope class were sighted. Oul
cruisers at once pursued the enemy
which fled northward at highest
speed" says semiotflclal state
ment
"At $50 our cruisers sighted two
enemy columns to the west, consist
ing of six battle cruisers and a great
number of small cruisers. The en-
envy passed towards the south anC
our ships approaching to within i
kilometers, opened very effective OF
southern, southeastern courses. Dur
ing the battle two English battle
cruisers and one destroyer were
sunk.
after half an hours fightint
heavy enemy reinforcements latel
observed to be five vessels of th'
Queen Elizabeth class, were sighted
to the north Soon afterward th'
German main force entered the figh
and the enemy at once turned north
THE British commander, drivins
his ships at full speed, attempted t
evade our extremely effective fire
was taking an echelon formation
Our fleet followed at top speed II
the course of this period of the fight
ing one cruiser of the Achilles o.
shannon class and two destroyer
were sunk, while number of othe
vessels suffered heavy damage.
Thirty-five British i'm Line.
"The battle against superior force
lasted until darkness fell. Beside
numerous light detachments at leas
twenty-five British battleships, 81,
battle cruisers and four armore'
cruisers engaged sixteen German bat
tleships, five battle cruisers, six old
er ships of the line and no armore'
cruisers.
after dark our flotillas opened
night attack. During this attacl
several cruiser and torpedo boat en-
gagements occurred, resulting in tn
destruction of one battle cruiser, on
cruiser of the Achilles class, probabl
two small cruisers and at least tel
destroyers.
Six of the latter. including tn
new destroyer leaders. Turbulent an
Tipperary, were destroyed by tn
leading vessel of our high seas fleet
The British squadron of older bat
tleships which hurried up from tn
south did not arrive until Thursda
al nj