Mimic Naval Battle.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 13, 29 March 1911, Page 60

Mimic Naval Battle.

DREADNOUGHTS TAKE PART IN IMPRESSIVE NIGHT FIGHT. Details reached Portsmouth on the last day of January of the result of the first naval manoeuvres of the year. Admiral May not only succeeded in keeping apart two fleets whose combined strength would have crushed him, but in a picturesque night battle annihilated one of the fleets—in theory—off the coast of Spain.

x'he fleets participating In these operations were the First and Second Division® of the dlome Fleet and the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Fleets. Over forty battleships and big armoured cruisers were engaged, including <ll .the Dreadnoughts and Dread nought cruisers except the Neptune. Three fleets were formed with White and Blue desirous of joining. Each was weakens than Red, but, if united, outnumbered hinu Red, still under Admiral May, of the Home Fleet, was composed of ten battleships, eight armoured and three protected cruisers, while Blue and White each consisted of six battleships, three unarmoured and 'three protected cruisers. Blue and White were together under t’he orders of Admiral Poe, of the Mediterranean Fleet, but White had its own admiral in Vice-Admiral Sir J. R, Jellicoe.

It was supposed that the Blue and White fleets were at sea, and, being short of coal and provisions, were trying to make foe their base, Vigo, but to succeed in this it was necessary that they should unite forces and defeat RedJ Hostilities began on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and within a short time the fast Red cruisers, by means of their wireless apparatus, had intimated to Admiral May that they had sighted the White Fleet. The latter was in full flight, with the Red cruisers hanging on to the rear, while the Red battleships were steaming at full speed to overtake the enemy. • By the Thursday evening the Red and White battleships were in sight of each other, and though White made desperate efforts to escape in the darkness, the efforts were unsuccessful. At 10.30 Red commenced firing with blank ammunition, his long line of battleships being ranged on White’s port quarter, and two miles away, while the Red cruisers were on his rear. The fight was described as having been a splendid sight. It was a dark night, and the flashes of 'the big guns and the frequent gleams of the searchlights made a most picturesque illumination. The fight was kept up until after midnight, each side carrying on a heavy fire from all the guns available. Soon after midnight the Commander-in? Chief of the Home Fleet signalled the “negative,” and the fight was over. White had been completely wiped out. The Blue fleet was still at sea, but by this time his coal must have been very short, so his capture was only a question of time. The exercise was, therefore, brought to a conclusion with the victory of Sir William May.

It has yet to be ascertained how many ships each side was supposed to lose. Afc the close of the operations the rival fleets returned to their respective bases, Arosa Bay and Vigo.