The Washington times., 1916-06-04

News Of the naval battle in the North
Sea aroused keen interest In naval cir
cies here. When the first unofficial re-
rorts reached the Navy Department
routine business was suspended. while
groups of officers from the various
bureaus met in consultation and eagerly
sought additional news.
The consensus. based on latest reports
was that British naval prestige has suf-
fered q severe blow, The fact that the
grand battle fleet was apparently
not engaged explains. according 20
naval officers. why the British battle
cruisers Jared SO badly in the nght. II
is believed here that the German squad
ron had the support of at least a por-
ton of the German high sea battleship
fleet.
Secretary Daniels said the result Of
this engagement might change tho pro
gram of the United States navy for the
building OF capital ships.
Decisive German Victory.
Unofficial reports that the British sank
a German battleship form the basis for
the belief that the German high seas
fleet was in a position to come to the
support of the German cruiser squad
ron and thereby turn the tide of battle
in Germany's favor. In the light OF
present information the engagement is
regarded here as a decisive German
naval victory.
The most severe losses to the British
navy are the battle cruisers queen
Mary, Indefatigable, and Invincible.
The Queen Mary's 1875 inch guns as,
sured her hitting power equal IL moi
superior to any German battleship but
being a battle cruiser and built fol
speed her armor was comparatively thin
She had a nine-ineh armor belt amid
the ends. The Indefatigable and Irwin
chile each carried eight r. inch guns ant
had armor IA inches thick.
Both the armored cruisers ana %. pe
by the most modern type OF cruisers u
either the British or German navy. 1t Il
said. although they were both very ser
v!ceable ships. ~
officers at the department Is that IN
british squadron got too far from tn
support of the main fighting Meet an
found itself opposed by German pattie
ships and unable to call the Meet TO II
aid In time.
To Keep Fleets in Touch.
II has been the consistent policy @
ne British navy, It Is explained I
keep the grand fleet In touch wilt
British auxiliary forces, and to haV
plans so arranged that the Meet cSul
be put into action In support or thes
forces at any time they were threatene
by the batleships of the German nav,
1t is recognized here that battle crui
sers, despite their hard-hitting power
are no match for battleships. for IN
reason that the battleships have the al
NOR protection, while in the case of tn
battle cruisefs this protection Ia sac
rihced for speed. Therefore 1t Is an ac
cepted principle that battleships mus
be opposed by battleships. Presumabl
the British grand fleet was believed I
be ready to extend It's protection TO TN
battle cruiser squadron whenever cha
lenged by a German force. but the r.
suits indicate that the German battl'
ships got to the scene first and decide
the issue before the British grand nee
had time to make its presence felt.
Apparently the Germans succeeded
following out tactics which were planne
from the beginning of the war. Tn
was to entice the British cruiser fore
into position where they could
dealt with by the G"rmGn high seas fe'
be Zorro -, D"0trr'i"N 80 40 HrltiS