As the darkness came on, it is evident that these tactics on the part of
the Germans, with increasing threats of torpedo attacks, became more and
more baffling to the British command, and then came the crucial decision
which ended the battle. Admiral Jellicoe reports:
At 9 P. M. the enemy was entirely out of sight, and the threat
of torpedo boat destroyer attacks during the rapidly approaching
darkness made it necessary for me to dispose of the fleet for
the night, with a view to its safety from such attacks, while
providing for a renewal of action at daylight. I accordingly
manoeuvred to remain between the enemy and his bases, placing
our flotillas in a position in which they would afford
protection to the fleet from destroyer attack and at the same
time be favorably situated for attacking the enemy's heavy
ships.
Concerning this stage of the action Admiral Jellicoe in his report
quotes Vice Admiral Beatty as follows:
In view of the gathering darkness and the fact that our
strategical position was such as to make it appear certain that
we should locate the enemy at daylight under most favorable
circumstances, I did not consider it desirable or proper to
close the enemy battle fleet during the dark hours.
Here the British Admiral and his second in command were in accord, but
the responsibility for the resultant movement of the British fleet must
rest with Admiral Jellicoe as chief in command. By his order the British
fleet steamed through the dark hours at moderate speed on southerly
courses some ninety miles from the battlefield. Although the British
fleet was thus placed in the general direction of Heligoland, this meant
that Admiral Jellicoe had relinquished all touch with the German fleet,
and this left the German fleet practically free to proceed to its bases,
which was done without any interference, bringing in their damaged
ships. The Germans even attempted to tow the wreck of the Lützow into
port, but she sank on the way in.
This move to the southward by the British fleet ended the battle of
Jutland. In the night there were isolated clashes of small fry, the
adventures of lame ducks, &c., but there was nothing that affected the
tactical results, and nothing that was in any sense a part of a battle
of fleets. None of these encounters even indicated the location of the
German fleet.