JUTLAND BATTLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 1210, 7 January 1925, Page 6

JUTLAND BATTLE

ADMIRAL BACON'S BOOK. EARL BEATTY STRONGLY CRITICISED. [By. Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] . . LONDON, Jan. 5. The .publication of his book "The Scandal of Jutland," by Admiral Sir tteginald Bacon, has added fresh fuel to the Jutland controversy. Admiral Bacon declares the battle has been misrepresented by a smoke screen deliberately raised to prevent the public learning the truth about Jutland, which constitutes a scandal. Regarding the batiliß, the writer severely blames Earl Boatiy. He says the general notion is that Earl Beatty met and daringly engaged the enemy and drew them into a trap,.-' knowing that Earl Jellicoe's Grand Fleet was coming up. The writer declares that Earl Beatty, instead of bringing the enemy to Earl Jellicoe's fleet, as a cat brings a mouse, actually ran away from the mouse within 20 minutes and never saw it again. He had to admit he did not know where the mouse had gone. Admiral Bacon adds: "It is not uncommon, after a great war, for praise and blame to be unfairly apportioned. The German criusers escaped from Dogger Bank through a series of errors made by Earl Beatty, but Sir Gordon Aloore was blamed. It was to Earl Beatty's lack of tactical appreciation that' the fifth battle squadron was not engaged in the first phase at Jutland, but Resir-Admiral Evan-Thomas, commander of the fifth squadron, was ungenerously and unjustly blamed. Lastly, through Earl Beatty's failure to «ive Earl Jellicoe vital information, the latter could not deploy as fast as he would otherwise have done." Admiral Bacon regrets that when Earl Jellicoe was being attacked, Earl Beatty did not say a few words and instruct public opinion. British traditions demanded it. "Earl Beatty's failure in chivalry at that time will never be forgotten or forgiven by the Royal Navy.'

PRAISE FOR EARL JELLICOE. "Earl Jellicoe led the fleet at Jutland with matchless skill and left nothing undone to secure the enemy's defeat. If the victory was less decisive than the nation hoped for the blame does not attach to Earl Jellicoe, but to his subordinate, Earl Beatty," says Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon. He contends that the battle cruiser fleet's gunnery, under Earl Beatty, was not good, and says: "It was his business to see that his ships were able to flhoot accurately. He cannot be held blameless if they failed." Admiral Bacon also points out that Earl Beatty had four battleships, besides six battlecruisers and it was the latter's duty, after sighting the enemy, to avoid action until four battleships, then four miles distant, had joined his line;-then to bring an overwhelming concentration of lire to bear, but Earl Beatty dashed headlong into fight. If he had awaited his battleships, the ensuing action, which resulted in the. sinking of two British ships, might well have been a brilliant victory instead of being practically a defeat. THE SECOND BLUNDER. "Earl Beatty's second blunder was losing contact with the enemy when he turned and raced northward, with the result that be joined Earl Jellicoe's Grand Fleet, dumb and unable to supply information vital for determining Earl Jellicoe's method of deployment. It was under this handicap that Earl Jellicoe had marshalled his forces and he did absolutely the right thing in deploying to port, instead of to starboard, towards the enemy."

Sir Reginald Bacon sneers at Mr Winston Churchill's confession that it was Earl Beatty's prowess at polo and hunting which influenced him in some degree in appointing Earl Beatty to command the battlecruiser squadron over the heads of numerous seniors. Sir Reginald points oui:: "Horsemanship is a poor qualification lor high command afloat," and he goes on to say that Earl Beatty had only handled a squadron of ships for two months prior to his appointment to one of the most important commands in the Navy. Sir Reginald Bacon insists that Earl Beatty's lack of experience resulted in failure on every occasion that his capacity..was tested as an admiral in command. He declares that Earl Beatty missed a complete victory in the Dogger Bank fight in January, 1915, by turning- away from a submarine at a critical moment, when by all the canona lie should have steered at it.—A. and N.Z. cable. MR CHURCHILL'S COMMENT. Received January 7, 11.5 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 6. Interviewed on the subject of Admiral Bacon's book, "The Scandal of Jutland," the Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill said: "Admiral Bacon seems angry both with Earl Beatty and ■me. Neverthelessi, I am proud of the fact that 1 appointed Earl Beatty."—Sydney,. Sun cable.

The author of "The Scandal of Ji-tJend," i Admiral Sir Reginald Hugh Sjencer Bacon. K.C.8., D. 5.0., K.C.V.0., 0.V.0., v/itd born in' 1863 and entered the Nuvy in 1877. In 1891 he was awarded the silver medal of tile " Italian Government for saving life at tho wreck of the Utopia. During the Benin expedition in 1597 he was chief of the intelligence department, and was awarded the D.S.O. mocal and clasp and also mentioned in despatches. He etarted the submarine boat uerviee in.the Navy, and in 1905 he was naval assistant to > the First Sea Lord of llio Ailm-rulty. He was captain of H.M.S. IMbdi.ought during her first commission. He wais director of naval ordnance and torpedoes from 1907 to 1909, and in tho laticr year he retired from the service to take up the position of managing director of the Coventry Ordnance Works, a post he filled from 1910 to 1914. During the ea.ly etiigos of the late war, he commanded the heavy howitzer brigade of the R.M.A. in Fiance, and from 1915 to 1918 he comma.iried the Hover patrols. Ho was later appointed controller of. munitions and i.ivent.ons, acting in that capacity from January IPIB to April 1919. He has wiitten several books, the best known being "Benin, the City of Blood," and "The Dover Patiol."