Now there followed a year in which the two fleets had no encounter, the Germans showing themselves still unwilling to come out for battle. As to what efforts the Rritish made to draw them out it is impossible at this time to malce a statement. During the interval the enforce ment of the blockade of German ports, fighting the submarine by the British and French in the Atlantic, and by the same powers in con junction with the Italians in the Mediterranean, were the chief features of naval activity in the World War. These were important events and will be talcen up in the proper place. It was not until the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, that the world had another opportunity to note a measuring of strength between the two hostile fleets in the North Sea.
On 30 May the British fleet sailed from its bases on one of its ordinary cruises through these waters. The evidence seems to show that the German fleet was in the habit of mak ing short sallies into the same region, passing through their mine-fields into the region north and west of Heligoland. These sallies were usually made at such times that they did not coincide with the presence of the British in the same waters. But on the cruise of 30-31 May it was the fortune of the two fleets to meet off the coast of Jutland, which forms the western peninsula of Denmark. The British fleet was sailing in two divisions. One was composed of battle cruisers chiefly, but it also contained a squadron of the largest battleships with an enveloping flock of light cruisers, and it was under the command of Admiral Beatty. The other was composed chiefly of battleships, it also contained a squadron of battle cruisers with light cruisers and was under command of Achniral Jellicoe. The two divisions steamed across the North Sea on the morning of 31 May, Beatty taking a course along lat. 56° 30' and Jellicoe along the parallel of 58°. At noon Beatty, finding himself within 50 miles of the coast of Jutland, turned sharply northward and expected to join Jellicoe. The weather was calm and hazy and the sea was as smooth as a pond. At 2:20 P.M. the British light cruiser, Galatea, proceeding on Beatty's eastern flank, signaled "enemy vessels to the east" and five minutes later repeated the information with the statement that the vessels were numerous. The enemy was sailing southward, and Beatty al tered his course to south-southeast, intending to get in between him and the base at Heligoland. At the same time he sent out a seaplane which reported at 3:30 P.M. the presence of the German cruiser squadron, consisting of five battle cruisers with the usual number of attendant cruisers and destroyers. Beatty was in slightly superior force and placed his ships in battle line at once and fighting began at 3:48 P.M. He
did not doubt that the heavy German fleet was somewhere to the southward, while Jellicoe was two and a half hours away in the north. But he was looking for the German fleet and had found it, and he did not hesitate a moment It was his duty to engage the Germans, even though the two divisions united against him, and to hold them in their position if possible, until Jellicoe arrived and gave them the benefit of his heavy armaments. It was certain that Beatty would place his ships in a precarious position for the time being, but he would have to endure it until reinforced. The engagement began when the two divisions were both sailing southeast, the range being 18,500 yards, about 101A miles.
The first stage of the battle lasted an hour, during which the firing was constant It was difficult to determine what damage was done to the Germans but the British lost two battle cruisers, the Indefatigable and the Queen Mary. The German aim was excellent in this part of the engaanment Beatty had sent his light cruisers ahead and at 4:42 P.M. they reported that the German battle fleet, under Admiral von Scheer, was at hand. To run in to its iron embrace was more than he bargained for and he turned backward, hoping to draw the com bined fleet toward Jellicoe. The running fight that followed as he fled made the second stage of the battle. As it progressed the weather became misty, which was bad for the British. Eteing to the westward of their foes and near sunset their hulls were visible to the Germans, while the mists obscured the latter. At 5:50 P.M. Jellicoe's battleships were sighted, and half- an hour later the engagement had entered its third stage, in which the combined British fleet was in contact with the combined German fleet. Admiral Hood in the Invincibk led the third battle cruiser squadron and wheeled into line, bringing himself into range of 8,000 yards from the enemy. He was instantly covered with an mtense fire from many kinds of ships of war. In a few minutes the Invincible blew unzparobably because her magazines had been ed by a German shell. Admiral Hood perished with the ship. Other casualties oc curred as the ships of Beatty and Jellicoe per-. formed the delicate operation of forming in one battle front under the fire of a strong and skil ful enemy. But the work was done and at 6:50 P.M. the united British fleet formed one long line, parallel to the enemy's line, which it overlapped because of its superior strength. Both fleets were steaming southward, it being the intention of the British to head the Germans off from their bases.