Raemaekers' Cartoon History of the War Volume II Part 13

_THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND_

_William Falstaff_: "_I know not what you call all, but if I fought not with the whole British fleet, then I am a bunch of radish._"

Our High Sea Fleet on May 31 encountered _the main part of the English fleet_.

On our side the small cruiser _Wiesbaden_, by hostile gunfire during the day engagement, and his Majesty's s.h.i.+p _Pommern_, during the night, as the result of a torpedo, were sunk.

The fate of his Majesty's s.h.i.+p _Frauenlob_, which is missing, and of some torpedo boats, which have not returned yet, is unknown.

_German Admiralty Report. June 1, 1916._

In order to prevent fabulous reports, it is again stated that in the battle off Skagerrak on May 31 the German high sea forces were in battle with _the entire modern English fleet_.

We were obliged to blow up the small cruiser _Elbing_, which, on the night of May 31-June 1, owing to a collision with other German war vessels, was heavily damaged.

_German Admiralty Report. June 3, 1916._

We state that the total loss of the German high sea forces during the battle of May 31-June 1 and the following time are: One battle cruiser, one s.h.i.+p of the line of older construction, four small cruisers, and five torpedo boats. Of these losses, the _Pommern_, launched in 1905; the _Wiesbaden_, _Elbing_, _Frauenlob_, and five torpedo boats already have been reported in official statements. For military reasons, we refrained until now from making public the losses of the vessels _Lutzow_ and _Rostock_.

_German Admiralty Report. June 8, 1916._

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"_AT LAST, TIRPITZ, I MAY TENDER MY IMPERIAL THANKS PUBLICLY._"

After visiting my fleet, which returned victoriously from a heavy battle, I feel I must again declare to you my imperial thanks for what you have performed in my service in the technical domain and the domain of organization. Our s.h.i.+ps and weapons upheld themselves brilliantly in the battle in the North Sea. It is also for you a day of glory.

THE GERMAN EMPEROR _to_ GRAND ADMIRAL VON TIRPITZ.

_June, 1916._

Before the Battle of Jutland Von Tirpitz retired from his post as Minister of the Navy on the ground of ill health. He is credited with being responsible for the submarine policy of ruthlessness which the German Government were forced to moderate on account of President Wilson's firm att.i.tude in the Suss.e.x episode.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"_We Had Almost Beaten the Boy When His Father Arrived and Then We Had to Run for Our Lives._"

The Germans were driven back into their ports without so much as making an effort to grapple with the main body of our Grand Fleet, and had the temerity to claim what really was a rout as a complete victory. A couple more such victories and there will be nothing left of the German Navy worth speaking about. The truth is slowly leaking out, and its full extent is not yet realized or appreciated. Our command of the seas, so far from being impaired, has been more firmly and unshakably established.

H. H. ASQUITH, _British Prime Minister._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_DER TAG_

_Thank G.o.d, "the Day" is over_

First--It was admitted that "the small cruiser _Wiesbaden_ was sunk" and that the _Pommern_--the character of that s.h.i.+p not being mentioned--had also been destroyed; the light cruiser _Frauenlob_ was "missing," with "some torpedo boats." The rest of the High Seas Fleet, it was declared, "had returned to our harbors."

Second--It had to be confessed that the light cruiser _Elbing_ had been sunk.

Third--A statement was issued to the effect that "one battle cruiser, (the _Lutzow_,) one s.h.i.+p of the line of older construction, (the _Pommern_,) four smaller cruisers," (the _Wiesbaden_, _Elbing_, _Frauenlob_, and _Rostock_,) and "five torpedo boats" (really destroyers) represented "the total loss."

Fourth--It is now known that the battle cruiser _Seydlitz_ was run ash.o.r.e to save her from sinking. It is a.s.serted by travelers who have returned to Amsterdam that the battle cruiser _Derfflinger_ sank "on being towed into Wilhelmshaven," and it is reported from Copenhagen that the _Pommern_ was not the battles.h.i.+p which was torpedoed in the Baltic by a British submarine in July last, but a new battle cruiser which was named after the German State, thus perpetuating its a.s.sociation with the navy. The story of the sinking of the dreadnought battles.h.i.+p _Ostfriesland_ awaits confirmation.

ARCHIBALD HURD _in the London Daily Telegraph._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_German Admiral_: _How quiet it must be in those English harbors blockaded by our Fleet._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_THE DEATH OF KITCHENER_

Field Marshal Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener, the British Secretary of State for War, perished with his staff off the West Orkney Islands on June 5 by the sinking of the British cruiser _Hamps.h.i.+re_, which struck a mine and went down fifteen minutes later. "O death, where is thy sting?