The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-06-07

hcFHlunS apparently "ao tilc 'iSloi
in the greatest naval battle in the
worlds history, as far as details have
been made public Of the meeting of
the German and British fleets off the
west coast Of Denmark on Wednesday
afternoon. At least three British bat
tie cruisers, three cruisers and eight
dcstroycrs and the German battlcshipc
Hommern and two small German
cruisers and a number Of torpedo
boats were sunk in the engagement
which lasted far into the night Great
Britain admits the loss Of battle
cruisers and cruisers with tonnage
OF 14,Sl0-rcprcsented by the battlc-
cruisers Queen Mary, Indcfatgablc
md Invinciblc and the cruiser De-
fence, Black Prince and Warrior Ger
many's losses, according to the Berlin
admiralty, in addition TO the Pommcrn
were tho Wisbadcn and Fraulcnlob,
small cruisers and several torpedo
boats.
The Germans claim, in addition to
4,
that the British battlcship Warspitc.
of the largest type in the British navy,
was sunk, that the battleship MARI
borough was hit by torpedo and that
two cruisers Of the Acvhilles type (the
Warrior Is this class) and one sub
marine were sent to the bottom.
Another Big Claim.
The British admiralty adds to the
conceded losses by Germany Of two
dreadnoughts Of the Kaiser class
vessels Of 24,700 tons-destroyed the
blowing up OF one battlecruiser, the
damaging Of two other vessels Of this
class and the ramming and sinking Of
German submarine.
From advices thus far received it
would appear that the greatest naval
battle Of history has been fought. Never
before have two naval forces Of such
magnitude as the British and German
high sea 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 feet
The scene OF battle was in the cast
ern waters Of the North sea. 1t is
probable that the German fleet was on
one Of the excursions into the North
sea which It has taken from time to
time during the war and met, whether
or not by design, with the British
fleet.
Or Coast OF Denmark.
Skagerack is an arm Of the North
sea between Norway and Denmark.
The point referred to in the official
German statement as Horn Riff prob
ably is the reef off the Horn. on the
southwestern extremity Of Denmark
This would Indicate that the battle
was fought off tho coast OF Denmark
From the reef to lIcligoland. the main
German naval base in the North sea,
is about 100 miles.
News Of the engagement was held
back by the British authorities, pos
sibly pending the return homo Of the
feet, and the first word received Of
the battle came by wireless from
Berlin.
The loss of life in the engagement
must have been extremely heavy. The
battlecruiser Indefatigable, for in
stance. from which the German admir-
atty reports only two mon were saved,
probably had more than 900 men on
board, and others of the vessels sunk
carried compliments OF men nearly as
large.
Previous to this battle Great Brit
ain had lost during the war ten battle
ships, II cruisers and various smaller
craft. Germany has lost IS cruisers,
10 auxiliary cruisers, chiefly converted
passenger liners and numerous small
Ter vessels.
Since the beginning of the war
British cruisers and destroyers have
patrolled during day and night the
approaches to the German fleets base
in the bay formed by the mouths Of
the Elbe and the Weser, protected by
the mighty fortifcation OF Wilhelm
shaven on the south, on the north by
the supposedly impregnable defenses