The Press. Tuesday, June 6, 1916. "No Disaster but a Victory."

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15669, 6 June 1916, Page 6

The Press. Tuesday, June 6, 1916. "No Disaster but a Victory."

Each day," as further' details of tho jrQUt sgO( fight como. to hand, it becomes more and more evident that so iar from having any grounds for misjriving; wc ought to feel infinitely proud and grateful on account of the manner in which, tho British- Navy, acquitted itself, and may rest moro than over confident that it will ho equal and moro than equal to tho task imposed upon it. Never, in oar history, glorious as aro its traditions, lias greater gallantry been shown than that displayed by Admiral Beatty's squadron when ho engaged and hung on to practically the entire German fleet, intending to keep tbem in action until Sir John Jcllicoo with his bulldogs could arrive upon the scene. Had not tho weather favoured ' tho Germans, enabling them to escape in the mist and gathering darkness, it is now ccrtain that the German HighSens Fleet would have received a decisive smashing. It is true our losses have been heavy. They could have | been avoided had Admiral Beatty choscn to withdraw when he found ho | was outnumbered. That, however, is t not tho British way. When only tho L Taunting lies of the German com-

munique had born published in Hoi- j land, a shrewd Dutch journalist asked : why, if the German Flest had gained ; such a victory as was claimed., it had to retreat behind its minefields and remain there ? We might also ask another equally pertinent question. How is it that tho Germans did not' publish exact details of their looses as was done by the British Admiralty in the case of the English losses' - ' Why did Admiral Stebbinghauss, Director of the German Admiralty, take refuge behind the palpable evasion that "110 conclu- " sive news of the damage to and losses "of German ships had been received," although he was constrained to admit that "part of our shins were considerably damaged." This i., clear proof to any sensible person that the German losse-s are far more serious than they care to admit. and that when tho triuh becomes known the flag-fiying and boasting at Berlin will bo found to be sadly out of place. We have not the least doubt that the German losses will, as stated in an obviously truthful and sober report issued by our Admiralty, prove to be heavier than the British losses—not merely relatively t:> tho strength of the respective fleets, but absolutely. "There seems the strongest ground for '•'supposing," says the statement referred to, " that tho Germans lost two " battleships, two of their most power- " ful Dreadnought-cruisers, the light i " cruisers Wiesbaden and Elbing, a | " light cruiser of the Rostock type, tho "light cruiser Frauenlob, and at least " nine destroyers and a submarine." In fact, it is believed that the German High Seas Fleet will bo kept fully occupied for some time to come in licking its wcundM. and will have little stomach for another fight. Meanwhile wo '.-;:n rejoico in tho fact ! that our blockade is stronger than I ever, because it has resisted the most formidable attempt to break through that the enemy has made or is likely ito make. Wo have been enabled to take his exact measure, and wo know that, whether ho has any surprises for us in the future or not, ho had none on this occasion. But, above all, the infinito daring of our men, the intrepidity and skill of their leaders, and tho tenacity with which they fought against overwhelming odds, are the dominating feature of the situation. and fill our hearts not only with pride but with fresh hope and confidence for the future. Our hearts go out in loving sympathy to those who havo especial reason to mourn tho heroes who arc now no . more. They perished gloriously, and set an example fit to inspire the whole Empire with, a passionate desire to emulate -their bravery and their self-sacrifice.