BEATTY'S BIG FIGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11716, 5 June 1916, Page 6

BEATTY'S BIG FIGHT.

HOOD ARRIVES IN TIME. WARSPITE'S GLORIOUS WORK. LONDON, Juno 4. Hnving drawn the whole Gorman fleet out ol s;lto ipiarters, Admiral Realty, all.hou.gli greatly outnumbered and running heavy risks, determined to hang on grimly in order to detain the enemy in full strength. It was a daring inanteiivre under the circuni.stanccs, for in gun. power tho battle-cruiser squadron was no match for the Germans. Roar-Admiral Hood's advent with the Invincible, Indomitable and Inflexible was timely and none too soon for Admiral Bcatty's battered fleet. It was mainly at this stage, a battle royal between big guns. The conflict was stupendous. The Invincible, fighting with the greatest gallantry, inflicted much damage and then mot her doom. She sank quickly, but further more formidable, aid was forthcoming in the. Valiant, Barham, Malaya and "Warspitc. The latter boro the brunt of a terrific attack by five battleships or cruisers. She put up a glorious light and sank or seriously damaged three of her assailants. The Valiant rammed a. submarine after the German retreat. "With the approach of darkness the biggest vessels ceased firing, hut- the. action was continued ail night by the smaller craft. One account states that shots were exchanged at 20,000 yards, while towards the end the range was 2000 yards. This represented for the class engaged point-blank firing. They wero pounding each other to atoms, dominated by a resolve to win or sink. Despite the possession of an admittedly good range-finder the German gun-lay-ing was inferior to ours. During the fight enemy destroyers were swept like chaff off the sea, only smoke and ashes indicating where, they had been engulfed. Our destroyer flotilla, did marvels, and their feat will ha over memorable for courage; daring and skilful seamanship.