The Harrison times., 1916-06-10

London.-The British public was
given a painful shock when the ad.
miralty gave out a statement that In
a naval battle in the North Sea the
British battle cruiser fleet met the
German meet, with the result that
three British battle cruisers were
sunk, together with three cruisers and
several destroyers, while six destroy
ers were still unaccounted for
The Indefatigable, the Invlncible
and the Queen Mary were the battle
cruisers sent to the bottom by the
Germans. The cruisers Defence,
Black Prince and Warrior also were
lost. The Warrior first was reported
disabled, but subsequently it was an.
nounced that she had to be abandoned
by her crew.
The German fleets losses are stated
to have been serious, but no very def
mite information Of these losses is af.
forded. One battle cruiser is declared
to have been destroyed and another
severely damaged, while the belief is
expressed that large number Of Ger
man destroyers were disposed Of
Following quickly upon the admiral.
ty announcement came the German Of.
fetal version Of the fight, which IN
general confirmed the British account,
but carried the claim lat the battle
ship Watersprite also was sunk ana
other British battleships damaged.
The German losses, according to the
German version Of the battle, were the
small cruiser Wiesbaden, sunk by gun
fire, and the warship Pommern by a
torpedo, while the cruiser Frauenlob
and a number OF torpedo boats are
missing.
May Have Kit Mine Field.
The news was flashed out in special
editions Of the evening newspapers
and caused greater CONSERVATION IN
the West End of London than has
been witnessed on any previous occa-
sion since the declaration Of war. The
frankness Of the admiralty announce
ment concerning the serious nature oS
the British losses and the apparently
small losses Of the Germans in COM
parison, led to the assumption in most
minds that the British vessels must
have been led into mine field.
From advices thus far received, IT
would appear that the greatest naval
battle of history has occurred. Never
before have two naval forces Of such
magnitude as the British and German
high seas fleets engaged In combat,
But apparently the battle was not
fought out to a point to determine
mastery of the seas, for the losses,
serious as they are reported to have
been, will not vitally impair the
strength Of either fleet.
The scene of battle was In the
PdSJBTH WdlelS VI llt ANul III Dtd' ~
is probable the German fleet was on
one of the excursions into the North
Sea which 1t has taken from time to
time during the war, and met, whether
or not by design, with the British
feet.
Skagerak is an arm Of the North Sea
between Norway and Denmark. The
point referred to in the official German
statement as Horn Riff probably is
the reef OF the horn, ,on the southwest.
ern extremity Of Denmark. This would
indicate that the battle was fought of
the coast Of Denmark.
News OF the engagement was held
back by the British authorities, possl.
bly, pending the return home Of the
fleet and the first word received OF
the battle came by wireless from Der
lin.
The loss OF lie in the engagefnen,
must have been extremely heavy. The
battle cruiser Indefatigable, for In.
stance, from which the Gqrman admir-
atty reports only two men were saved,
probably had more than 900 on board,
and others OF the vessels sunk carried
comDlements OF men equally or nearly