not believed the Germans would
attempt at that time. British vigilance had been lax or the German
fleet could never have gone so far from its base without discovery; and
this laxity proved costly for the British; and might even have proven
more costly still.

Above the German fleet came a fleet of aircraft, augmented to a great
degree by three powerful Zeppelin balloons. Lying low upon the water
also was a fleet of German submarines.

As the German fleet approached Jutland on the night of May 31, it was
shrouded in darkness. The night was very black and a heavy fog hung
over the sea. The night could not have been better for the attempt,
which would, in all probability have succeeded, had it not been for the
fact that the British had been forewarned.

Forewarned is forearmed; and this fact alone prevented the Germans from
carrying out their designs. It is history that the approach of the
German fleet had been reported to the commander of the British cruiser
_Glasgow_ by an aviator, who had sailed across the dark sea in a
hydroplane. Whether the Germans knew that there were but three British
vessels in the Skagerak cannot be told, but certainly they believed
they were in sufficient strength to force a passage, particularly by a
surprise attack, which they believed the present venture would be.

Therefore, it must have been a great disappointment to the German
admiral when a single big gun boomed in the distance.

This was the voice of the British battleship _Queen Mary,_ which,
taking directions from the _Glasgow's_ aviator, had fired the opening
shot, telling the Germans that their approach had been discovered and
that the passage of the Skagerak would be contested.

Immediately the German fleet slowed down; for the German admiral had no
means of knowing the strength of the British fleet at that point.
Hurried orders flashed back and forth. A few moments later three
aeroplanes, which had been hanging low above the German fleet, dashed
forward.

They had been ordered forth to ascertain the strength of the British.

In almost less time than it takes to tell it they were directly above
the British fleet, which, so far, consisted only of five ships of war--
besides the _Glasgow,_ an armored cruiser, the _Albert_ and _Victoria_,
torpedo boats, being the _Queen Mary_ and _Indefatigable_.

As the Germans approached in the air, a hydroplane ascended from each
of the British ships and British aviators gave chase to the