The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-06-03
Estimate Death Toll.

Estimate Death Toll.
Although no official information
W; forthcoming as to the probable
loss of life, belief was expressed that
it would be above 5000 and might rise
to $500.
Details furnished by eye witnesses
Of the fight state that it took place
in foggy weather and amidst dense
clouds of smoke from the tunnels and
guns of the warships
The aggregate tonnage of tho ships
lost on both sides is placed at approx
imately $4,000 and the money value
of the ships sunk is estimated at 1885,
100000
British Admit Loss.
The Queen Mary, Indefatigable and
lnvincfble were the first battle cruis-
ers the British admiralty has admit
ted losing since the war began.
1t is believed that the British ships
were in the majority although fighting
conditions were more favorable for the
Germans as it is pointed out In offic-
ial announcement of the admiralty
that they were aided by "low visabil-
ity." This evidently referred to fog.
See Floating Bodies.
An Exchange Telegraph dispatch
from Copenhagen says that fishermen
arriving at Esbjerg report seeing out
side the Blaavands Hulk hundreds of
bodies of British and German sailors.
The fishermen also observed large
quantities Of oil on the surface ap-
parently from submarines. The water
was full Of battle wreckage, showing
parts of ne ships, life belts and pieces
Of uniforms.
The newspapers, while admitting
that the navy suffered serious losses
in the fight off the Danish coast, de-
clare that the engagement has no wise
affected the naval position of the
country. In some quarters the belief
was expressed that the German navy
might be emboldened by the British
losses to try more raids on a bigger
scale, but if this result follows it
would unquestionably prove a dis
astrous policy.
British Too Confident.
The Times suggests that the British
were over-confident in their naval
strength.
The naval correspondent of the Post
explains the outcome in this fashion:
light metal at close range and gave
it severe punishment. The fight must
have been at close range and the Ger
man battleships, well protected by
their heavy Krupp armor, outmatched
our cruisers in fight for which they
were not suited
Advance Meets Main Force.
Our advance guard, in fact. en-
gagged the German main force and the
result could not have been otherwise
than serious to the lighter vessels
But when our main forces came in po-
sition for the engagement the Ger
mans had to flee and were driven into
port.
There is one thing, however, which
we have the right to demand in the
face of our losses. There must be no
more trifling with the powers of our
fleet"
That the German fleet was badly
scattered in it's flight is indicated by
the news coming from Copenhagen.
1t was stated in the dispatches that
the German fleet was compelled to
separate when the more powerful units
of the British fleet got within range,
and some of them are still believed
to be at sea.
Escape Cut off.
The possibility was suggested that
elements of the British fleet had cut
off the escape of some of the German
ships
Unofficial dispatches state that the
engagement lasted from twelve to
twenty-four hours, and was a running
fight.
One of the eye witnesses of the bat
tie, Captain Hunt, of the steam traw-
ler. described how the flying German
ships rolled southwark at top speed
while the British ships, guided by their
searchlights, rained shells around the
fugitives.
Sees Seven Men of War.
There were seven big German men
of war in the part Of the fleet saw"
said Captain Hunt. 1T was about
10:30 o'clock on Wednesday night and
the ships were travelling at what 1
reckoned to be nearly thirty miles an
hour. The British ships were follow
ing about 200 yards behind the fugi-
tives The searchlight we're turned
full upon the German ships and shells
were being poured from every gun.
The noise was deafening and the men
Of war we're completely enveloped by
dense clouds of smoke which rolled
from the tunnels and from the busy
guns.
$50 dense was the coal and gun
powder smoke and so thick was the
weather that, despite our nearness we
could see only the dim outlines of the
warships.
THE fog and darkness was pierced
by the red glare of the big naval
guns.