New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-03

Because Of the lack Of detail In cable
dispatches from Europe a dozen differ
ent theories and stories concerning
the North Sea battle between the Ger
man and English fleets were prevalent
last night in this city. Theorists and
men without technical training accept
ed il as matter OF fact that the en-
gagement was stand-up. open sea
fight among the biggest vessels Of both
fleets. Officers OF the United States
Navy held an entirely opposite view.
Five officers en- American battleships
in New York gave il as their belief
that the struggle found battle-cruisers
and armored cruisers, with compare
lively few destroyers. on the part OF
the English, and destroyers and battle
cruisers on the part Of the Germans,
with the German destroyers bearing
the brunt OF battle
Hudson Maxim. the noted inventor,
advanced the novel theory that the Ger
mans had used newly invented self
propelling mines. IA we'll as submarines
and Ter, elins. far in advance of their
line of capital ships, and that the CAPT
tai ships were armed with l7-inch guns
WHICH lar OulidUbtu the IHb llNhs
Officers Sketch Of Battle.
Drawn from the beliefs Of naval Of
fcers, VINO said that they could say
nothing definite of the battle until
further advlces were received, tho fol
lowing is an Americ n naval officers
description of what he imagine took
place in the North Sea on May Il:
Guarded by destroyers an. rather
ineffective drigible balloons nd ac-
comp MED by armorec and SEQ cruis-
ers, several English ttle-cruit ~ and
draadnouehts. a part OF the British
high sea fleet, were .eisurely cruising
of the coast Of Denmark. Probably
they were there on a scouting eXped'-
tion or in search OF part of the Ger
man feet. Possibly they were there 70
entice the Germans within reach Of the
main British feet.
Whatever their reasons were, they
were discovered by Zeppelns. flying so
far above them as to be unseen. Pos
sibly this was two or three days before
the battle took place.
THE Germans had carefully planned
lcng in advance Just what We Ameri-
can naval officers have long been ex-
pecting them TO do: 20 attack in misty
fast destroyers. IL is a fact laid down
in every book of naval strategy that a
feet of capital ships guarded by a
nominal number of destroyers cannot
withstand an attack by fast, light yes
sells in thick weather. The English had
been lulled into false security, and the
Germans had been preparing.
Germans Used Fog as Shield.
Waiting their opportunity and tim
ling their course with minute careful
ness, the German destroyers started
out from some position near Heligo-
land as soon az word came that the
weather was becoming fogPy. Follow
l ing them, as fortresses behind which
/ they might dart if the enemy became
/ too strong, were a number of German
/ capital vessels, probably battle-crus-
ers. Above were Zeppelins, and steal
/ ing along with the destroyers went
numerous submarines 70 do the finish
/ ing work.
probably the weather was exceed
I ingly thick when the German destroy
ers, which probably outnumbered the
! English destroyers four 70 one. APP
preached the British feet They dis
posed themselves carefully, their tor
pedo tubes were prepared and their
/ three and four inch guns made ready.
+ THE tactics Of a destroyer in at
/ lacking large vessel is to hit and run.
! That is what those German vessels did
They dashed forward simultaneously
al a speed of thirty-five TO forty miles
an hour. making practically no noise
and sending up practically no smoke to
Z disclose their Whereabouts. Behind
them came the submarines, and over
head the Zeppelins watched and kept in
communication with the big ships
bringing up the rear.
Before those German destroyers got
within striking distance of the English
/ fleet, OF course, they were seen by the
English destroyers. But that did little
I good, for while two Germans surround
/ ed every British destroyer, the other
/ Germans went on.
AT 1000 yards, perhaps. the Irwin
( cibie and the other great British yes
/ sells sighted them. but the German de-
! stroyers already had sighted the huge
hulks looming in the fog and had loosed
! their torpedocs and 4-inch shells Re
member. at 1000 yards a 4-inch shell
can do tremendous damage 10 the water
/ line OF a battle cruiser. for battle
/ cruisers are not heavily armored.
Destroyers Darted About.
AS soon "a the German destroyers
/ had fired they turned and darted back
into the concealing fog like scared fish
twisting and turning to keep the heavy
shells from the British 1855 from get.
( ting line on their fight
/ Again and again they derteG in and
] out. each time infiicting heavy damage
When torpedo hits vessel, no matter