's battle squadron of six ships, including four of the
Lion type and two of the Indefatigable type. Beatty's squadron developed
a battle line on a southeasterly course and Vice Admiral Hipper formed
his line ahead on the same general course and approached for a running
fight. He opened fire at 5.49 o'clock in the afternoon with heavy
artillery at a range of 13,000 meters against the superior enemy. The
weather was clear and light, and the sea was light with a northwest
wind.

After about a quarter of an hour a violent explosion occurred on the
last cruiser of the Indefatigable type. It was caused by a heavy shell,
and destroyed the vessel.

About 6.20 o'clock in the afternoon five warships of the Queen Elizabeth
type came from the west and joined the British battle cruiser line,
powerfully reinforcing with their fifteen-inch guns the five British
battle cruisers remaining after 6.20 o'clock. To equalize this
superiority Vice Admiral Hipper ordered the destroyers to attack the
enemy. The British destroyers and small cruisers interposed, and a
bitter engagement at close range ensued, in the course of which a light
cruiser participated.

The Germans lost two torpedo boats, the crews of which were rescued by
sister ships under a heavy fire. Two British destroyers were sunk by
artillery, and two others--the Nestor and Nomad--remained on the scene
in a crippled condition. These later were destroyed by the main fleet
after German torpedo boats had rescued all the survivors.

While this engagement was in progress, a mighty explosion, caused by a
big shell, broke the Queen Mary, the third ship in line, asunder, at
6.30 o'clock.

Soon thereafter the German main battleship fleet was sighted to the
southward, steering north. The hostile fast squadrons thereupon turned
northward, closing the first part of the fight, which lasted about an
hour.

The British retired at high speed before the German fleet, which
followed closely. The German battle cruisers continued the artillery
combat with increasing intensity, particularly with the division of the
vessels of the Queen Elizabeth type, and in this the leading German
battleship division participated intermittently. The hostile ships
showed a desire to run in a flat curve ahead of the point of our line
and to cross it.

At 7.45 o'clock in the evening British small cruisers and destroyers
launched an attack against our battle cruisers, who avoided the
torpedoes by maneuveri