SOUND NAVAL TACTICS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15669, 6 June 1916, Page 7

SOUND NAVAL TACTICS.

LORD BERESFORD'S VIEWS. VALUE OF OUR VICTORY. GEI J MAN BALTIC PLANS •SMASHED. (Received June Gtit. 5)."0 p.m.) LONDON., Jun o o. A "Daily Chronicle'' representative had an interview with Lord Beresford, who said: —"I cannot understand how I anybody can regard the battle with | any feeling but prido and gratitude. I however much we deplore tho loss of gallant men, tino officers and ships. It was a triumphant victory. The traditions of the British Navy were never better exemplified. "The, first communique spread tho idea of a reverse, but the following statement showed we had beaten tho German battle fleet., which had been brought into action in tho North Sea, and after a severe and prolonged engagement. drivers hack to its ports." Lord Beresford declared it was highly important that tho Allies, neutrals, and tho boys in the trenches should bo properly informed of what their comrades in the Navy had achieved. "There was not a mistake of any kind," he went on to say. "As wc lacked Zenpolin scouts, our cruisers were compelled to go a long way ahead of tho Battle Fleet to set information of the enemy's formations. "Tho Germans' objective was to meet and defeat the British Fleet. It was indeed 'The Day.' Yet. meeting only a portion of our fleet, after a big fight tho Germans wero forced to retreat to tho plaeo where their ships havo been immured so long. "Sir David Beatty, when he discovered tho enemy's strength, might havo retired to port, but that is not the Navy's way. Sir David Beatty took risks that were perfectly justified. It was a magnificent thing, not only to mako our line of communications and pummel tho German fleet, but to fight to hold it until our battle fleet arrived. "The thickness of the wfeathor explains the distance that tho Battle Fleet was behind our cruisers, which can afford to go./nil speed in a fog where our Battle Fleet would not bo justified in doing so. "The experts who say that Sir David Beatty made a technical error in ongaging the fleet have /ailed to realise tho spirit of our Navy, namely, to attack the enemy whenever he is found. It is curious that the 'armchair critics' who for months have been clamouring i'or the Navy to do something, now that it has done something very great, uccusc it of having blundered. "The action has utterly smashed tho German plan of campaign in the Baltic, which had heon disabled for some time, resulting in enormous assistance to tho Russians, again proving that success for. ourselves and our Allies depends entirely upon the British fleet.

A NAVAL WRITER'S VIEWS. GRAND FLEET ESSENTIALLY INTACT. ("Timea" and "Sydney Sun" Ssrricsa.) (Received June 6th, 5.20 p.m.) LONDON, June 4. The naval correspondent of "The Times," in reviewing the action, says: "Only a portion of Sir John Jellicoe's fleet appears to have partifcdpated in the battle. The latest types of tho largest warships were engaged, and the heaviest guns known in modern fleets were brought into action. The British casualties were mainly confined to druisers and smaller vessels in which we have the largest preponderance. Those conversant with the conditions of sea warfare always expected that the British Navy's farflung operations could hardly be maintained against such a wily and implacable foo without loss. The nation will accent tho losses with keen regret, but with unruffled calmness. Official facts reveal that the German High Seas Fleet in full force was discovered on Wednesday off the Denmark coast. The fastest ships of tho Grand Fleet engaged tho enemy in order to hold him until our main forces came into action. It is manifest that the British forces were outnumbered, which explains the serious losses among the ships bearing the brunt of tho action. Technically it was Germany's plan to shirk further action when Admiral Jellicoe's ships arrived on the scene. Tho enemy selected a moment of low visibility, and this was a decidedly favourablo one. His manoeuvre was daring and skilful, enabling him to obtain the most important naval success Germany has yet had. The German account of the fight agrees largely with ours, but Berlin omitted to mention the destruction of the Lutzow, one of the finest of the five battle-cruisers left to the Germans. Tho enemy admits the loss of the Pommern, which the Russian and British submarines claimed to have sunk months ago. Nothing can alter the significance of the fact that the Grand Fleet is essentially intact. Until Admiral Jellicoe's force is overthrown no amount of partial gains can alter the course of the war in Germany's favour. "Without indulging that self-satisfaction and complacency against which Admiral Beatty recently warned us. it may be confidently expected that our seamen, undisturbed in spirit and moral, will cxact "full retribution for this battle."