wing, which was nearest the
head of the German advance, but on the port wing, which was farthest
away, and speed was reduced to 14 knots in order to enable the
battle cruisers to take station at the head of the line. Indeed
some of the ships in the rear or sixth division had to stop their
engines to avoid collision during deployment. By this time the
ships of the sixth division began to come under the shells of the
German battle fleet and they returned the fire. By half past six
all sixteen of the German dreadnoughts were firing at the British
lines, the slow predreadnoughts being so far to the rear as to
be unable to take part. The battleship fire, however, neither at
this point nor later showed the extraordinary accuracy displayed
by the battle cruisers at the beginning, but this may possibly
be attributed to the gathering mistiness that hung over the sea,
darkened by the low-lying smoke from the host of ships.

As soon as Scheer realized that he had not only run right into the
arms of the Grand Fleet, but lay in the worst tactical position
imaginable with an overwhelming force concentrated on the head
of his line, he turned away to escape. The battle cruisers (at
6.30) swung away sharply from east to south, the ships turning
in succession. Meanwhile the torpedo flotillas tried to cover the
turn by a gallant attack on the British battle line. At the same
time smoke screens also were laid to cover the retirement. The
_Invincible_, Hood's flagship, which was leading the British line,
was at this juncture struck by a shell that penetrated her armor
and exploded a magazine. The ship instantly broke in two and went
to the bottom, and only four officers and two men were saved. Almost
at the same instant the German battle cruiser _Luetzow_, Hipper's
flagship, was so badly disabled by shells and torpedo that she
fell out of line helpless. Hipper managed, however, to board a
destroyer and two hours later succeeded in shifting his flag to
the _Moltke_.

[Illustration: TYPE OF GERMAN BATTLESHIP: THE KOENIG

From Jane, _Fighting Ships_, 1919

Normal displacement, 25,800 tons. Length (waterline), 573 feet.
Beam, 96-3/4 feet. Mean draught, 27-1/4 feet. Length (over all),
580 feet.

Guns: 2 machine.
10--12 inch, 45 cal. Torpedo tubes (19.7 inch):
14--5.9 inch, .50 cal. 4 (broadside) submerged.
(10 or 4--3.4 inch, 22 pdr.?) 1 (bow) submerged.
(2 anti-aircraft?)]

At 6.