Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-19
NAVAL BATTLES OF THE
WORLD WAR
BATTLE OF THE sKAGERRAK.

the greatest battle on the sea the
world has ever known Il was on
this day that two mighty fleets Of
steel met in the waters OFF Jutland;
two feets-one the bulwark Of de
mOcracy and the other the aggres-
sive weapon OF that most detestable
OF monarchs-Hunland The world
shuddered on the fl 'eful evening OF
that deary day when the ether vi
brated messages OF victory victory
10 the Hun; and the Imperial German
navy was speeding on back TO its
base for a much-needed recuperation,
for IL had been hurt
This day the frs, day of June. is
suspicious in British naval history
as the date on which, one hundred and
twenty.three years ago. an English
fleet under Lord Howe, COMPRISING
twenty-five ships Of the line. defeated
the equal French fleet un,!er Villaret.
$50 miles of Quessant. In the years
TO come the celebration OF the day
will be saddened by the memorial 10
the gallant ships which went down
OFF Skagerrak
On this modern first of June the
entire fleets of Britain met the entire
German navy. with the British nu.
merically stronger in ratio of two
to one. Navigating conditions. how
ever were all in favor OF the enemy,
due to what some experts have de
clared to be sheer luck. The German
claim is that superior strategy won
them the day.
1t had long been the strategy of
both Admiralties TO patrol the length
of the North Sea in force. Both
claimed. as their object the Turing
out of the opposing fleet for a de.
cisivs fight on the water Though
both fleets welcomed the opportunity
20 try their steel, certain II is that
this battel in particular came about
by mere chance and was not planned
beforehand to any greater extent than
the usual preparations for eyentuai-
ties on all the units during the dan
gerous patrol work
Without having any certain knowl.
edge of the presence Of the German
chruised far north between Scotland
nd hn
wind II this fact. and its reconnoi
turing cruisers rushed northward until
they sighted the foe off the south
coast of Norway. Vice.Admiral Hip
per, Immediately engaged the English,
who were far superior In number. Ad.
miral Scheer. commanding the high
seas fleet. hurried with all possible
speed to the scene, determined to
make the most Of this chance meeting
with Admiral Sir David Beatty. pc
The fog bank that shrouded the en-
trance to Skagerrak was to play
an important. role Hidden by this
fog, the English main fleets reached
the scene. and at 1880 p. m. were east
Of the German fleets and unobserved
by the fighting German cruisers. De.
spite this advantageous position Ad.
miral Jellicoe, commanding the Eng.
lish High Seas Fleet, was unable to
judge, from the gunfire OF the Ger
man ships. their formation and mum.
Der and so lost valuable time, instead
OF at once attacking the German
feet, unconscious OF its peril. Not
until $50 did his battleships succeed
In opening fire on the German High
Seas Fleet.
When the line of British battleships
became dimly visible on the horizon
seven and one.half miles distant
the German Admiral at once realized
the seriousness of the situation With
admirable courage the German tor
pedo fleets threw themselves upor
the heavy English line, which re
ceived them with deadly fire OF al
calibres. 1t was almost impossible,
British ships, which had slipped bacl
into the fog bank and the German
gunners had only the flashes Of tn
British guns as guides.
. The battle between the two mai
fleets lasted over an hour, and tn
precision of the Hun fire was tellin
tragically. The German line was lik
@ a sinuous snake, at all times unde
the most complete control OF the flag
}. ship. Indeed. the STACEY Of the Ell
t. envy In this fight has been write
e into naval history as a valuable an
n useful lesson in modern sea fightn
n with all the various engines of a moo
a ern feet
Il The British ships could not keep
u contact under the repeated Hun OF
" slaughts, and were compelled to ceas
% firing Even before nightfal the
had lost touch with the enemy an
!, disappeared in the fog. During tn
- night the German fleet proceeded q
!. moderate speed toward Horn RIM.
the damp darkness the long line {
German ships was repeatedly attac
ed by the British cruisers and destor
ers. but at sunrise not a single BIRTHS
., ship was visible.