for any other
purpose, have ventured out beyond the fortifications and mine fields
of the Helgoland Bight.

On May 31, 1916, the fleet was engaged in one of these excursions,
apparently with no knowledge that the German fleet was to be abroad at
the same time.

In accordance with what appears to have been the general practice, the
Grand Fleet was divided; the main fighting force under the command of
Admiral Jellicoe himself occupying a position near the middle of the
North Sea, while the two battle-cruiser divisions under Vice Admiral
Beatty, supported by a division of dreadnoughts of the _Queen
Elizabeth_ class under Rear Admiral Evan-Thomas, were some seventy
miles to the southward (Plate I). Admiral Jellicoe had a division of
battle cruisers and another of armored cruisers in addition to his
dreadnoughts, and both he and Admiral Beatty were well provided with
destroyers and light cruisers.

[Illustration: PLATE I. Map of Distribution of Forces. 2:30 P.M., May
31, 1916. Not drawn to scale, all distances distorted.]

The day was pleasant, but marked by the characteristic mistiness of
North Sea weather; and as the afternoon wore on the mist took on more
and more the character of light drifting fog, making it impossible at
times to see clearly more than two or three miles.

At two o'clock in the afternoon Admiral Beatty's detachment was
steaming on a northerly course, being then about ninety miles west of
the coast of Denmark, accompanied by several flotillas of destroyers
and with a screen of light cruisers thrown out to the north and east.

At about 2.20 p. m. the _Galatea_, one of the light cruisers engaged
in scouting east of Beatty's battle cruisers, reported smoke on the
horizon to the eastward, and started to investigate, the battle
cruisers taking up full speed and following. The _Galatea_ and her
consorts were soon afterward engaged with a German force of similar
type, and at 3.30 p. m. a squadron of five battle cruisers was made
out some twelve miles farther to the eastward.

Beatty immediately swung off to the southeast in the hope of getting
between the German squadron and its base; but the German commander,
Vice Admiral von Hipper, changed course correspondingly, and the two
squadrons continued on courses nearly parallel but somewhat converging
until, at about 3.45 p. m., fire was opened on both sides, the range
at that time being approximately nine miles. About ten minutes after
the battle was ful