Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/365

LEFT JUTLAND BANK 301 JUTLAND BANK length and from 60 to 80 in breadth; area, 9,904 square miles; pop. (1916) 1,253,809. Products, rye, oats, buck- wheat, and dairy produce. Cattle, horses, and hogs are extensively reared and exported. Manufactures are un- important. Capital, Aarhuus. Jutland is supposed to have been originally the country of the Cimbri. Later on its inhabitants, known as Jutes, shared in the Saxon invasion of England, and subsequently formed part of the Saxon alliance against Charlemagne, and, under the denomination of Norman (North- ern), frequently ravaged the N. W. coasts of Germany and France, ulti- mately establishing a colony in the last named country. JUTLAND BANK, NAVAL BATTLE OF, a naval engagement of the first magnitude, fought between the German and British fleets during the European War, on May 31, 1916. For months pre^^ous to this date the British fleet had been making a prac- tice of occasionally sweeping the North Sea with all its available ships, to dis- courage any attempt on the part of the German ships to raid the British coast. On May 31, 1916, one of these patrols in force was in progress, under the com- mand of Admiral Jellicoe, who, himself, occupied a position near the middle of the North Sea, while Vice Admiral Beatty, commanding two battk cruiser divisions, supported by a division of dreadnoughts of the Queen Elizabeth class, under Rear-Admiral Evans- Thomas, was some seventy miles to the southward. The weather at the time was calm, but inclined to be foggy, ren- dering it impossible to see any great dis- tance. In the middle of the afternoon one of Beatty's ships, the light cruiser "Gala- tea," unexpectedly sighted smoke, being then about ninety miles west of the Dan- ish coast. The "Galatea" steamed for- ward to investigate, and an hour later found herself engaged with a squadron of five German battle cruisers. Beatty immediately attempted to inter- cept the German ships in their attempt to retire, whereupon the German Ad- miral, Vice Admiral von Hipper, turned and gave battle, at a range of about nine miles. Ten minutes after the first heavy firing began, the "Indefatigable," the rear ship of the British column, was struck by a number of heavy shells fired by the Germans and sunk. Twenty minutes later the "Queen Mary," the latest and best of the British battle cruisers, also sank under the German fire. For the time being the advantage in armament Vol V— and number of ships was with the Ger- mans, but presently Rear Admiral Thomas' dreadnought division came v'ith- in range, and again the British had the superiority of strength on their side. For the next half hour von Hipper's five battle cruisers fought four British battle cruisers and four dreadnoughts, suffering severe punishment. The British ships were making every effort to cut off the retreat of the Ger- man ships, and with every prospect of success, which would have compelled von Hipper to run to the northward, in the direction toward Jellicoe's fleet of dread- noughts. But presently the British made out the head of a column of Ger- man dreadnoughts approaching, to the relief of von Hipper. _ Immediately Beatty changed his tac- tics, for he was now hopelessly outnum- bered. Instead of trying to drive the Germans toward the main British fleet, he turned and ran, hoping to draw the Germans after him in pursuit. The ruse worked well, and von Hipper immediately began the pursuit, unconscious of the near approach of the main British fleet. The (German dreadnought column, under Admiral von Scheer, followed along be- hind. Meanwhile Jellicoe, seventy miles to the northward, with three squadrons of the most powerful fighting ships in the world — twenty-five in all, including his flagship, the "Iron Duke," had received wireless communication of what was go- ing on and was steaming toward the scene of battle at top speed. At about six in the evening the foremost ships of Jellicoe's column, three battle cruisers under Admiral Hood, sighted Beatty's fleeing fleet, and swung into the action. But hardly had the "Invincible," Hood's flagship, opened fire, when she disap- peared amidst a great burst of shell and smoke. The main fleet of the British, however, was by this time close at hand, coming to Beatty's rescue. As has already been stated, the weather was overcast and foggy, and this greatly handicapped the British Admiral, as he was therefore unable to distinguish friend from foe on his approach, and did not, therefore, dare to open fire until very close to the scene of action. As Jellicoe approached, Beatty's column opened before him, and the main British fleet swept through, southward, heading for the head of the German line. Beatty's ships also swung southward, parallel with the main fleet, and pres- ently the Germans found themselves in the focu^ of the fire of practically the whole British fleet. According to the Cyc — ^T