The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-06-09
BRITISH BATTLESHiPS WARSPITE,
QUEEN MARY AND INDEFATlG-
ABLE, SUNK IN NORTH SEA
BERLIN REPORTS.
GERMANY ADMITS LOSS
OF SEVERAL WARSHlPS
Says Batteshp Pommern and Smaller
Craft Are Lost-Frauenlob and
Many Torpedoboats Fail to Re-
turn-Confict Began in Day
and Ragged Entire Night.

Berlin, June BIN the greatest
naval engagement of the war the Ger
man high seas fleet met the main part
of the British fighting fleet and more
than eight British vessels were de
stroyed and many badly damaged, the
admiralty announces in an official
statement.
The engagement, which occurred be.
tween the Skagerak and Horn Riffal,
ragged all afternoon and the entire
night. Loss of several German war
ships is admitted.
This was the first naval battle of
the war in which the entire German
high seas fleet participated.
News of the victory caused an out
burst of rejoicing throughout Germany
without parallel since the outbreak of
the war.
Big Vessels Lost.
The large British battleship War
spite, the battle cruisers Queen Mary
and interchangeable, and two armored
cruisers were destroyed
The German admiralty statement
adds that by observation it was es-
tablished that a large number of Brit
ish battleships suffered damage from
the fire of the German big ships and
the attacks of the torpedoboat fleet
1t is also reported that a small
British cruiser, several torpedoboat
destroyers and torpedoboats were
sunk
Torpedo Hits Marlborough.
The admiralty statement also de-
clares that the British battleship,
Marlborough was hit by a torpedo,
this being confirmed by the prisoners
rescued. Several of the German ships
rescued parts of the crew of the Brit
ish ships which were sunk, they in
Guiding, it is said, two men from the
Indefatigable, the only survivors from
that ship.
On the German side the small cruis-
er Wiesbaden was sunk by gunfire and
the battleship Pommern was sent to
the bottom by torpedo. The fate of
the Frauenlob is not known and some |
did not return.
Admiralty Issues Statement.
The Skagerak is a broad arm of |
the North sea between Norway and |
Jutland. 1t is $50 miles long and 80 |
wide. With Cattgatt, the sound and |
the great and little belts it constitutes
the channel connecting the North and
Baltic seas.
The admiralty statement under date |
Of June /, said:
During an enterprise directed |
northward, our high seas fleet on May
81 encountered the main part of the
English fighting fleet, which was con-
siderably superior to our forces. Dur
ing the afternoon, between Skagerak
and Horn Riffal news of heavy en-
sagement developed which was sue
,essful for us and continued also DUR
ng the night.
Warships Destroyed.
In this engagement, as far as
Known until now, we destroyed the
arge battleship Warspite, the battle
;ruisers Queen Mary and Indefatig-
Bile. two armored cruisers, apparently
VI the Achilles type, one small cruis-
'r, new f1agships of the destroyers
rurbant and Nestore and Alcaster, a
lumber of torpedo destroyers and one
by observation, which it is clear is
rec to objection, it is stated that a
arge number of British battleships
Uttered heavy damage from the fire
4 our ships and the attacks of our
orpedoboat fotillas during an en-
agement which lasted during the en-
ire day and all night.
Among others of the large British
hips, the battleship Marlborough was
1t by torpedo. This is confirmed
y prisoners.
Parts of Crews Rescued.
Several of our ships rescued parts i.
the crew of the sunken British
hips. Among those rescued were two
1rvivors of tn Indefatigable
Among our losses was the small
ruiser Wiesbaden, which was sunk
= British gunfre during the day en- t
agement and his majesty's ship Pom n
fern, which was sunk during the b
light engagement by a British tor
edoboat r
The fate of his majestys shipI
rauenlob is yet undetermined and
lere Is possibility that this boat
- been lost together with number
torpedOboats which have not vet g.
ported, and whose fate is unknown. h
The high seas fleet has returned to II
J base n
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