Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-24
Seven German Ships Reported Sunk
British Lose One Destroyer
Two Commanders Killed.

icstrovers in the North Sea, led to
the belief today that British forces
ihad inflicted a severe defeat on the
German destroyer flotilla, Holland
dispatches indicated seven German
vessels had been sunk.
Officially, the score stood to one
both the British and German forces
losing destroyer-but it is known
tnat the enemy ships lost great
many more men and that they were
hit more often and with more effect.
Dispatches from Holland today III
sisted that the. German destroyer
V-69 had arrived at Hmuiden under
aid of tugs and was barely able tc
float; her deck was Uttered with
wreckage from accurately placed
British shells and she reported
hcavy casualty list.
That other German boats ma,
have been destroyed was indicated
lin Ymuiden dispatches stating that
!. lie V-69 carried q number OF Ter"
man sailors fIam other vessels, who
/ had been picked up from the sea.
1t was -rpcrted today that still
another German warship, greatly
damaged, was en- rou,e to a Dutch
port. The latch correspondents Of
Loudon newspapers today quotci
wounded German sailors as express
irg the leiicf that seven German
vessels were sunk by the British fire.
TIE V-C9 fired one tcrledo and
was then hit by another Eriiish shell,
which knocked the funnel flat on the
dccH. Still another She put a ho!e
! in the fore part Of the vessel.
Sixteen severely rn"ed Ger
mans nave 'een landed :: Ymuiden
~ a Dutch steam trawier, which took
rnrt. - ;bc lady d,na"cd V-69.
The destroyer was afterHard towef
! to >'mu;den With twenty irai aboard.
Amsterdam, Jan. 24.-Brtish and
German torpedo craft clashed III tne
North Sea Monday night and fought
in Quick succession two of the i've
lest naval actions of the war Born
battles took place off the Dutch coast,
in the vicinity of Schouwen Bank,
northeast of the mouth of the
Schcltd.
Officially, the only definite state
ment at hand is a British admiralty
report issued yesterday afternoon
and supplemented by brief an
nouncement last night. From these 1t
would appear that the two actions
ended in a draw, though it is as
serted that the Germans were badly
punished.
Unofficial advices, strengthened by
the arrival of wounded German sail
ors. Indicate that the Teuton tlotilla
suffered severe defeat. The losses
thus far definitely known are one
German and one British destroyer. 1t
i: almost certain, however, that two
German destroyers, including the
v-69 were sunk and three others
disabled.
The British admiralty admits the
, loss of three officers and a. men.
,, Three German officers are known 70
/ have been killed.
The V-69. one of the most modern
and most powerful Of German tor
pedo boat destroyers, and evidently
the leader Of the Teuton craft en-
gagged in the course of the second
action, was made the center OF
furious onslaught by the bulk OF the
British flotilla.
A terrific fusillade was opened on
her from all sides. Her entire brldge
was catapultcd into the sea, and
few moments later came pitifGts
cries oil nelp, HlHSiSN
Of the naval artillery and the VIII 81
ling of torpedoes.
The V-69 s commander was piese
nm from the icy waters. Both
tbad been shot off and he was cling
ing to piece of wreckage..
The German mosquito flotliia
bad ventured forth from the naVas
Ibase at Zerbrugge under the cover
of heavy fog.
1t is believed that it deliberately
sought an engagement with the BRIT
ish, the theory being advanced III
well-informed quarters that the 7s-
tion was to screen either the depsT-
}; ture or Arrival Of one or more ''f'=i~
man raiders. It was recalled 1.la5
nearly every time a commerce ae~
strover has left or arrived at a 2Ee
port there was either a German tor
/! pedo attack on the British coast or
Ian engagement with hostile craft.