Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-07

| considerably. The third German ship
was seen to be afire The German battle
| feet was reported ahead and the de-
| stroyers were recalled.
| Vice Admiral Beatty altered his
| course to the northward to lead the
| Germans toward the British battle fleet
| The second light cruiser squadron
| closed to $4,000 yards of the German
| fnehective fire. The fifth battle squad
| ron engaged the German battle cruisers
with all guns and about 5 o'clock came
under the fire of the leading ships of
| the German battle fleet.
The weather became unfavorable,
| Vice Admiral Beatty's ships being sill
houetted against a clear horizon to
| the Germans. whose ships were mostly
obScured by mist.
Between 8 and o'clock the action
continued at $4,000 yards on a north
erly course, the German ships receiv-
ing very severe punishment, one bat
tie cruiser quitting the line consid-
erably damaged. At 5:35 o'clock the
Germans were gradually hauling east
| ward and receiving severe punishment
at the head of the line. proba bly, act
ing on Information from their light
cruisers, which were engaged with the
third battle cruiser squadron. or from
Zeppelins, which possibly were pres
| emit
At :b6 o'clock the leading ships of
the British battle fleet were sighted
Admiral Beatty then proceeded east at
greateset speed, bringing the range to
1000 yards. Only three German bat
tie cruisers We're then visible, follow
ed by battleships of the Goenig type.
Story Of Battle Fleets Valor.
Vice Admiral Jelicoe then takes up
the story of the battle fleet Informed
| that the Germans were sighted, the
| fleet proceeded at full speed on a south
east by south course during two hours
before arriving on the scene of battle.
The steaming qualities of the older
ships were severely tested. When the
battle fleet was meeting the battle cruls
care was necessary to insure that the
British ships were not mistaken for
the German warships.
Vice Admiral Beatty reported the
position of the German battle fleet at
6:15 o'clock. Vice Admiral Jellicoe then
formed the line Of battle, Vice Admiral
Beatty having meantime formed the
battle cruisers ahead of the battle
fleet, and the fleets became engaged.
During the deployment the Defence and
British and German fleets under heavy
firing. The Defence disappeared and
the Warrior passed to the rear. disa
bled.
Vice Admiral Jellicoe considers 1t
probable that Sir Robert K. Ar
buthnot. the rear admiral who was
lost on board the Defence. was not
aware. during the engagement with
proach Of their heavy ships, owing to
the mist. until he found himself in
close proximity to the main German
feet. Before he could withdraw his
and disabled. When the Black Prince
of the same squadron was sunk was
not known. but a wireless signal was
received from her between and 9
o'clock.
Owing principally to the mist. 1t was
possible to see only few ships at a
time. Toward the close of the battle
only four or five were visible and
never more than eight to twelve.
The third battle cruiser squadron,
under Rear Admiral Horace Alexander
Hood, was in advance of the battle
meet and ordered to reinforce Vice Ad-
miral Beatty. While route the
Chester. Capt. Lawson, engaged three
or four German light cruisers for
twenty minutes. Despite many casual
tles, her steaming qualities were UNI
impaired.
Work of Third Squadron.
Describing the work of the third
squadron, Vice Admiral Beatty said
Rear Admiral Hood brought it into
action ahead of the Lion lin the most
inspiring manner worthy of his great
naval ancestors" Vice Admiral Hood
at 6:25 pm. was only 5000 yards from
the leading German ship, and the Brit
ism vessels poured a hot fire into her
ana caused her to turn away Vice
ADMIRAL Beatty, continuing reports:
BY $50 o'clock the battle cruisers
were clear of our leading battle SQUAD
ron: and L ordered the third battle
cruiser SQUADRON to prolong the line
cen knots The visibility at this time
was very Indifferent, not more than
four miles. and the enemy ships were
temporarily lost sight of after pm.
Although the visibility became reduced,
1T undoubtedly was more favorable to
US than to the enemy. At intervals
their ships showed US clearly, enabling
US to punish them very severely and to
establish definite superiority over
them. 1t was clear that the enemy suf-
fered considerable damage. battle cruis-
ers and battleships alike. The head of
their line was crumpled up, leaving
their battleships as a target for the
majority of our battle cruisers. Before
leaving, the fifth battle squadron also
was engaging battleships.
The report of Rear Admiral Evan
Thomas shows excellent results were
his magnificent squadron wrought
great execution"
Action Between Fleets.
The action between the battle fleets
lasted intermittently from GIT to 500
o'clock at ranges between 5000 and
$4,000 yards The Germans constantly
turned away and opened the range I'M
der the cover of destroyer attacks and
smoke screens as the effect of the Brit
a Hra urno falt ov,| all ff<y,
course from southeast by east to west
in an endeavor to close up brought the
British battle fleet. which commenced
action in an advantageous position on
the Germans bow. to a quarterly bear
ing from the German battle. line, but
placed Vice Admiral Jellicoe between
the Germans and their bases.
Vice Admiral Jellfcoe says: During
the somewhat brief periods that the
ships of the high sea feet were visible
through the mist a heavy and effective
fire kept up by the battleships and
battle cruisers of the grand feet caused
me much satisfaction. The enemy YES
sells were seen to be constantly hit,
some being observed to haul out of the
line. AT least one sank. The enemy's
return fire at this period was not eff
fective. and the damage caused to our
ships was insignificant"
Vice Admiral Beattys report cover
ing this period says the German ships
he was engaging showed signs of pun
ishment. The visibility improved at
sunset, at 7:17, when he re-engaged,
man line emitted volumes of gray
nLro their cal }fal