New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-03
English Mapping in Fog
as Stealthy Foe Struck
Maxim Says Sclf-Propeling Mines Won for Germans
Navy Men Believe Swarm of Destroyers Attacked
Before Big Ships Engaged.

what the class Of ship, that vessel is
likely TO quit work.
"The result was that probably with
in a few hours the big British battle
cruisers were sunk or disabled. But
while this fight was proceeding, the
main fleet Of the British. summoned by
wireless. was speeding that way with
scores of destroyers just as speedy as
the Germans.
Numerous German destroyers,
naturally. were sunk in this fighting,
and il is possible that one or two OF
tho British battle cruisers, like
wounded bull, harried by wolf packs,
had worried through until the German
battle cruisers were glimpsed. Ii that
occurred, it is more than probable
that both big vessels suffered, Cor
the British are better gunners than
the Germans.
"The Germans must have begun re
treating as soon as the British main
fleet was seen by the Zeppelins, and
, the official accounts more than likely
will show that practically all the dam
age on both sides was done before
that big column Of monster fighting
ships arrived.
Torpedoes Do Much Work.
"There is another possibility, and
that il that the Germans planted
mines as they retreated, though this
is extremely improbable. One thing
that is certain - that torpedoes
caused most of the damage to the
British, if our belief be correct.
How far the British pursued is
impossible to tell, but it is more
than safe to say that the Germans
sought the sanctuary OF Helgoland
as swiftly as possible. having accom-
plished their purpose"
A few Junior United States naval Of
fcers were inclined to consider the
theory of indirect fire by enormous
guns. This means firing at objects
which cannot be seen by the gun
pointers, the fire control being gov
erned by aeronauts. These young OF
fcers pointed out that possibly the
Germans had equipped their major
vessels with powerful l7-inch guns
which would penetrate armor at dis
lance which made the British shells in
effective, and had battered the British
feet until overwhelming numbers made
them retreat.
Hudson Maxims theory is the
strangest of all.
Months ago." said Mr.. Maxim, 81
predicted that the Germans, when they
were ready for battle with their MAR
feet, would attack in some new order
probably in Macedonian phalanx for
nation.
"For long time have been aware
that the German navy has been build
ing a formidable type of self-propelline
mine. the largest able to carry 5OO
pounds OF picrc acid. II is more thar
probable that they waited for the at
tack of the enemy, launched a grea'
number of these underwater mines
, two or three hundred feet apart along
the entire line, and then, when these
mines and the advance guard Of sub
marines had done their work, tn
dreadnoughts went into action. ! car
imagine that many OF the British
ships were injured before they were
ready to fire a shot.
English Were Warned.
az is most unfortunate, continued
Mr. Maxim, chat the British saw mt Z
ridicule the story OF the German II
inch gun mounted on their large ships
In the first battle in the North Sea tn
I Germans discovered that the ship witt
an s-inch gun is ineffective against Z
ship armed with 11-inch weapons. /
should be apparent 70 any one ma
/ they are not the people 20 80 10 seer
on so vital q matter.
The Zeppelins. which were reported
10 be used in the battle, could not have
done much actual damage, | imagine.
II. II. Won Mellenthin, foreign edito
and military expert of the "Staats
I Zeitung." had the following theory o
/ the battle: THE English left Orkne!
and headed straight for Denmark
/ Some say they went 10 protect Nor
wegan shipping, and others beliey,
that they wanted TO force al entrance
into the Baltic Sea through the Skagei
Rak believe neither.
at is the German opinion that tn
British feet was aiming az Heligoland
ION January % a cable from Lon
don was published to the effect tina
the German feet had been equipped
with l7-inch guns. The calibre Of
these guns is the same as the Austrian
Skodss or the Krupp mortars. The,
can throw projectile twenty-si'
miles, the projectile taking semi
/ circular course through the air anC
falling on the ship instead of agains
I II. The presence OF these guns ex
l plains the big English losses. TIT
| victory in a sea battle will be won b.
/ the masses of iron and lead ships OF
/ both sides can throw. The German
victory might be termed a water
| Liege
The public opinion in England TO
some kind OF activity on the part q
/ the feet was so strong that the Brit
ish Admiralty was forced to do some
thing"