_Member of Military Historical Society of Massachusetts and of the
United States Naval Institute_
NOTE--_The reader of this review will be greatly helped in
following the movements of the opposing fleets by the two charts
on the preceding pages. These have been ably prepared by Allan
Westcott of the United States Naval Academy, and they should be
carefully studied._
Sufficient time has now passed since the battle of Jutland (May 31,
1916) to eliminate the early distorted versions of the action and to
give a proper perspective of the tactics of the opposing fleets. To
understand the battle, it is necessary to realize that it had become the
custom of the British fleet to leave its safeguarded bases in the north
of the British Isles and make periodical sweeps through the North Sea.
At the beginning of his report of the battle Admiral Jellicoe describes
this practice:
The ships of the Grand Fleet, in pursuance of the general policy
of periodical sweeps through the North Sea, had left its base on
the previous day in accordance with instructions issued by me.
In the early afternoon of Wednesday, May 31, the first and
second battle cruiser squadrons, the first, second, and third
light cruiser squadrons, and destroyers from the first, ninth,
tenth, and thirteenth flotillas, supported by the fifth battle
squadron, were, in accordance with my directions, scouting to
the southward of the battle fleet.
With the object of engaging a fleet that had been usually so disposed
and so employed, the Germans came out from their bases. For some time
after the battle there were tales of other objectives--to cover the
escape of raiders, to get ships through the Baltic, &c. But all these
theories have been abandoned, and it is now agreed that the Germans
planned to fight the superior British fleet under conditions
advantageous to themselves. All the German manoeuvres indicate that this
was their design, and no other.
The opposing forces in the battle of Jutland were as follows:
1. An advance British force under Vice Admiral Beatty, consisting of six
battle cruisers, (four Lions of 28.5 knots speed, each carrying eight
13.5-inch guns, and two Indefatigables of 25 knots speed, each carrying
eight 12-inch guns,) supported by the fifth battle squadron, under Rear
Admiral Evan-Thomas, (four 25-knot battleships of the Queen Elizabeth
class, each carrying eight 15-inch guns.)
The fleet speed of this advance force was 25 knots.
2. The main body of the British Grand Fleet, under Admiral Jellicoe,
flying his flag in the Iron Duke--consisting of a fast wing under Rear
Admiral Hood, (three 26-knot battle cruisers of Invincible class, each
carrying eight 12-inch guns,) a division of four armored cruisers under
Rear Admiral Arbuthnot, and twenty-five dreadnoughts in three squadrons
commanded by Vice Admirals Burney, Jerram, and Sturdee.
The fleet speed of this main body was 20 knots, and its formidable
armament will be found in the table on Page 338.
3. About twenty light cruisers and 160 destroyers, divided between the
advance force and the main body.
The German strength comprised:
1. An advance force under Vice Admiral Hipper, consisting of five battle
cruisers, (three Derfflingers of probably 27 knots speed, each carrying
eight 12-inch guns, and two Moltkes of probably 28 knots speed, each
carrying ten 11-inch guns.)
The fleet speed of this advance force was 27 knots.
2. The main body of the German High Seas Fleet, under Admiral Scheer,
consisting of sixteen dreadnoughts and six predreadnought battleships.
[Illustration: CHART SHOWING POSITIONS IN BATTLE OF JUTLAND IN RELATION
TO SURROUNDINGS OF THE NORTH SEA. (1) SCENE OF BATTLE. (2) POSITION OF
BRITISH FLEET AT 3 A. M., JUNE 1, 1916, BEFORE RETRACING ITS COURSE TO
THE BATTLEFIELD.]
The fleet speed of this main body was 17 knots, because the German
dreadnoughts had been eked out with predreadnought battleships of less
speed. Four dreadnoughts carried twelve 11-inch guns each, four twelve
12-inch guns each, the rest ten 12-inch guns each. The six old German
battleships were very inferior, carrying only four heavy guns each.
3. About twenty light cruisers and eighty or ninety destroyers, divided
between the advance force and the main body.
The above-described makeup of the opposing fleets must be kept in mind
when studying the course of the action. The day of the battle was
cloudy, but the sun shone through the clouds most of the time. At no
time was there anything approaching a sea. Visibility was reported as
good in the first stages of the action, but late in the afternoon, there
being little wind, mist and smoke hung heavy over the surface of the
sea. These conditions must also be remembered.