Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-06-04
First Official Details Given Out
by the British Admiralty
Hold Out a GIlmmer Of
Hope.
ENGLISH SHIPS WERE
GREATLY 0UTNUMBERE
Entire German High Sea
Forces Encountered Flee
When King Georges Full
Fleet Appears,

lDnuOft June " Nv iiipA tiAhN'''
account in the details OF the North
sea battle was given to the Associated
Press today by high official OF the
admiralty II was noticeable that
among admiralty officials, the opin-
ion was general that the depression
caused by the first announcement or
the result of the engagement was not
justified in the light of subsequent
details.
The Associated Press is Informed
that future details will have even a
more heartening effect than the news
given out today.
Cautious About German Losses.
The admiralty is especially cautious
about stating German losses, giving
only those which are reported Off
ciaIly or admitted by the Germans,
meanwhile awaiting details OF reports
from officers who participated in the
action.
| II would have been possible to an
lticipate the German announcement in
regard to the battle, received here by
wireless yesterday afternoon, but the
British admiralty did not have the de-
tails until after Admiral Jellico
reached port, and frankly issued the
information which was in his posses
sion.
Expurgating only such portions OF
wireless reports as might be of assist
lnnce to Great Britains enemies. the
admiralty official gave the following
details of the great naval fight;
/ Were Looking for Fight.
I'VE can only say we were
looking for fight when our
fleet went out Stories that II
was decoyed by the Germans are
sheerest nonsense. In a word with
an inferior fleet we engaged the entire
fGerman high sea fleet, interrupted
their plans and drove them back into
their harbors.
I'm carrying ont the plan decided
upon, we sustained heavy losses,
which We expected" this official said
"but we also attained the expected re-
suit of forcing the enemy TO abandon
his plan and to seek refuge after We
had given battle in his own waters
near his coast.
! Battle Cruisers Bore Biunt.
with the exception of two divi-
sions. only part of which were en-
gagged, the brunt of battle was borne
Iby the battle cruiser fleet and with
one exception our battle fleet is ready
for sea service. ] must admit that
1--we had exceptionally hard luck with
lour battle cruisers but the loss OF
Those three great ships does not In
any measure cripple our control OF
the sea.
"The great battle had four phases
The first opened at B.. 10 y. m, when
our battle cruisers at a range of SIX
miles Joined action with German bait
tile cruisers. Shortly afterward the
lsecond phase began with the arrival
on both sides of battleshlps, the Ger
mans arriving first. But before their
arrival three battle cruisers had been
blown up. presumably the result OF
lgunfire although possibly they met
Their fate from torpedoes.
A Tactical Error?
| Such close range fighting with bat
tile cruisers might he criticised MS bad
tactics. but our fleet. following the
tradition of the navy, went out to en-
gage the enemy, and on account Of
weather conditions could do so only
lat short range.
"The third phase was the engage
lment of battleships, which never was
inore than partial This phase includ-
led a running fight as the Germans
fled toward their bases. All the big
ship fighting was over by 9;15 =. N.
| Weird Feature.
! "Then came one of the most weird
features of the battle, as German de-
stroyers made attack after attack,
Hike infantry following artillery prep
aration on our big ships. But these
onslaughts were singularly futile. not
a single torpedo launched by them
getting home.
with the morning, these attacks
ended and the scene of the battle was
swept by Jellicos fleet. not a single
enemy vessel remained in sight.
! "Until we get Admiral Jollico's com
lplctc report We can give only frag
mentary incidents OF the great battle.
lAmong these is the torpedoing IF the
lsuperdreadnaught Marlborough which
| il now safely IN harbor She must
have struck a veritable hornets nest
of submarines, as by skilful maneu-
vering she avoided three Of these be-
fore she was finally hit.
| German Warships Blown Up.
"Early IN the engagement. accord
ing to Admiral Beatty's report. a Ger
man battle cruiser after being hotly
Engaged. blew up and broke in two.
"Officers OF the fleet also reported
ipassing q closely engaged battle cruis-