Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1916 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many ■Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. BIG SEA BATTLE FOUGHT German Navy Inflicts Great Damage to England’s Fighting Uraft. Perhaps the greatest sea battle ever fought occurred in the eastern waters of the North sea last Wednesday afternoon and night when 10 German and 14 British ships were sunk and thousands of lives lost in a battle between the German and British naval forces. The total value of the vessels sunk in the engagement is said to have been $60,000,000, of which England’s loss was $46,000,000 and Germany’s loss $14,000,000.

The engagement was merely a chance one at’the beginning, and while the German fleet was finally forced to retire the damage inflicted upon its adversary was tremendous. This was the first engagement of any consequence between the sea vessels of the warring nations since the outlook of the war nearly two years ago, and, while it really has little significance as to the outcome of the war, Germany is much elated over having inflicted such heavy losses on the enemy. It is known that many of the warships taking part in the battle, which is not only the greatest of the war, hut of modern times, were damaged and many especially destroyers, are missing. Apparently the Germans opened the battle. The most reliable report states that patrols of the German fleet sighted two British destroyers w;hich had stopped to examine the papers of a neutral vessel and, unseen by the British ships, rushed back to the main German squadron. The Germans came upon the two destroyers still engaged with the neutral vessel and immediately opened fire. The destroyers in turn hastened to their own squadron which immediately came upon the scene. The two squadrons, steaming at full speed, came within range of each other somewhere between the Skagerak and Horn Riff. Both fleets immediately brought their big guns into action and a long range battle of extreme violence ensued. It is believed that most of the heavy ships lost were sunk or fatally disabled during this daylight battle. At least two Zeppelins appeared over the battle area during the late afternoon, and are reported to have talWn an important part in the action. Whether they sank any of the British ships is not known.