HER SECOND FIGHT.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15243, 3 April 1915, Page 10

HER SECOND FIGHT.

THE NORTH SEA ACTION.

SIR DAVID BEATTY'S. REPORT.

The Admiralty despatches regarding the action of Jan. 24th in the North Sea, were published on March 3rd. A condensed summary was telegraphed, but the full text published in the "Cape Times," received by yesterday's mail, explains many points which were somewhat obscure, and shows that H.M.S. New Zealand, flagship of Rear-Admiral .Moore, took a very prominent nart in what is tho greatest naval action of the war to date. THE ENEMY SIGHTED. The report of Sir David Beatty on the North Sea engagement says: The following vessels were patrolling in company: Battle-cruisers Lion (Captain Chatfield) flying my flag, Princess Royal (Captain Brock), Tiger (Captain Pelly), New Zealand (Captain Halsey), dying the flag of Rear-Admiral Aloore, and Indomitable (Captain F. Kennedy), while the light cruisers Southampton (Commodore Goodcnough), Nottingham (Captain Miller), Birmingham (Captain Duff), and Lowestoft (Captain' T. Kennedy) were disposed on my port beam. Commodore Tyrwhitt. in the Arethusa, was with the Aurora (Captain AVilmot Nicholson), and the Undaunted (Captain St. John). The Arethusa uud destroyer flotillas were ahead. At 7.25 in the morning the flash of guns was observed south-south-east. Shortly afterwards a report reached mo from the Aurora that she had engaged the enemy's ships. I immediately altered course to south-south-east, increased speed to twenty-two knots and ordered the light cruisers and flotillas to chaso south-south-east and get into touch with and report the movements of the enemy. This order was acted upon with great promptitude. Indeed my wishes had already b*een forestalled by the respective senior officers. Reports almost immediately followed from the "-Southampton, Arethusa and Aurora as to the position and_ composition of tho enemy, which consisted of three bat-tle-cruisers, the Blucher, six light cruisers aiid a number of destroyers steering north-west. Tho enemy altered their courso, to the south-east. Our light cruisers from now onward maintained touch with tho enemy and kept mo fully.informed. The battlecruisers worked up full speed, steering southward. The wind was horn tho north-east." light, with extreme visibility. , A LONG STERN' CHASE. The enemy at 7.30 were sighted on the port bow, steaming fast and steering approximately south-east, and were distant fourteen miles. Owing to prompt.reports we had-attained a position on the quarter of tho enemy, and so altered our courso to the south-east parallel with them. AYe settled down to a long stern chase, gradually increasing our speed until it reached i».o knots. Great credit is due to the en<nneers* staffs of the New Zealand and Indomitable. These ships greatly exceeded their normal speed. At 8.52 we closed to within 20,000 yards of the rear shio. The battle-cruisers mantehvred to "keen a line of bearing, so that their guns'would bear, and the Lion fired a single shot which fell short, lne enemy was now in single line ahead, with light cruisers ahead and a large number of destroyers on the starboard beam. Single shots wore fired at intervals'to test the range. THE BATTLE BEGINS. At 9.9 the Lion made the first hit on the Blucher. The Tiger opened at on the Blucher, while, the Lion shifted her fire to tho German number three at 18,000 yards, this ship being hit by several salvos. The enemy returned the fire at 9.14. The Princess Royal, when she came within range, fired on the Blucher, tho range of the leading ship being 17,500 yards at 9.35, and tho New Zealand now came within range of the Blucher, which dropped astern, and opened fire on her The ?rince» Royal shifted her fire to tho third German, ship, inflicting considerable damage on her. Our cruisers and destroyers gradually dropped from their position broad on our beam to our port quarter, so as not to foul our range with their smoke, but the enemy destroyers threatening to attack, the Meteor and M. Division passed ahead of us, Captain Aleade handling the division with eonsoicuous ability. ENEMY.SHIPS ON FIRE. Thus at 9.45 the situation was as follows:—The Blucher. which was the fourth of their line, already showed signs of having suffered severely from our gun-fire, while their leading ship and* number three also were on fare. Tbo Lion was engaging number one. the Princess Royal number three, and the New Zealand number four., while tue Tiger, which was second in our line, fired first at tneir number one, and, when interfered, with by smoke, at their number lour. The enemy s destroyers omitted vast columns of smoke to screen their battle cruisers. Under cover of this tbe hatter now appeared to have altered their course to the north so as to increase their distance. .Certainly tho rear ships hauled out on tho port Quarter of their leader, thereby increasine the distance from our line. Therefore our battle cruisers wero ordered to form a line bearing north-north-west, and proceed with the utmost speed. Their destroyers then showed evident signs of an attempt to attack. The Lion and the Tiger tired on them and caused them to retire and resume their original courso. Our light cruisers maintained an excellent position on the port quarter of the enemy's line, enabling them to observe and keep in touch with or attack any vessel that might fall out of line. END OF THE BLUCHER. The Blucher at 10.45 had already dropped considerably astern and had hauled out to port", steering north with a heavy list. She was on fire and apparently In a defeated condition. I consequently ordered the Indomitable to attack the enemy who were breaking northward. At 10.45 submarines were reported on our., starboard bow. I personally observed the wash of a periscope at two points on our starboard bow. I immediately turned to port. The injury to the Lion at 11.3 being reported incapable of; immediate repair, north-westward. I called the destroyer Attack alongside, and. shifting my flag to her. at 11.3-5 I proceeded with the utmost speed to rejoin the squadron. I met them.at noon retiring north-west. I boarded and hoisted ray flag on tlie Princess Royal, when Captain Brock acquainted mc with what had occurred since the L.ton fell out of Hue, namely, that the Blucher had been sunk and that the enemy battle cruisers had continued eastward in a considerably damaged - condition*. Captain Brock also informed mo that a Zeppelin and seaplane had endeavoured to drop bombs on the -vessels which went to'the. rescue of the survivors of the B'ucher. The flood seamanship of Lieutenant-Commander Cnllaghan, of H.AI.aS. Attack, in placing his vessel alongside the Lion and subsequently the Princess Royal. enabled mc to transfer my flag in the short—t possible

time. I closed with the Lion at 2 in the afternoon, and received a report that her starboard engine was giving trouble, and at 3.3S I ordered the Indomitable to take her in tow. The greatest credit is due to the captains of tho Indomitable and the Lion for the seamanlike manner in which the Lion was taken in tow in difficult circumstances. The excellent steaming of the ships engaged in tho operation was a conspicuous feature.