ity of caring for a large number of badly
crippled ships. The night is short in that high latitude--not over
five hours at the maximum.

And this is the report of what happened at daylight:

"At daylight on the first of June the battle fleet, being southward of
Horn Reef, turned northward in search of the enemy vessels, and for
the purpose of collecting our own cruisers and torpedo-boat
destroyers. The visibility early on the first of June was three to
four miles less than on May 31, and the torpedo-boat destroyers, being
out of visual touch, did not rejoin the fleet until 9 a. m. The
British fleet remained in the proximity of the battle field and near
the line of approach to German ports until 11 a. m., in spite of the
disadvantages of long distances from fleet bases and the danger
incurred in waters adjacent to the enemy's coasts from submarines and
torpedo craft.

"The enemy, however, made no sign, and I was reluctantly compelled to
the conclusion that the High Sea Fleet had returned into port.
Subsequent events proved this assumption to have been correct. Our
position must have been known to the enemy, as, at 4 a. m., the fleet
engaged a Zeppelin about five minutes, during which time she had ample
opportunity to note and subsequently report the position and course of
the British fleet."

Here is the mystery of the Battle of Horn Reef, and here we may place
our finger on the point at which the explanation lies (if we could
only make out what the explanation is) of the reason why this battle
cannot take rank, either in its conduct or in its results, with the
greatest naval battles of history--with Trafalgar and the Nile, to
speak only of English history. It is an unfinished battle;
inconclusive, indecisive. And in this respect it cannot be changed by
later news of greater losses than are now known. When Jellicoe, with a
force materially superior to that commanded by Von Scheer _and with
higher speed_, had interposed between the latter and his base, it
would seem that there should have been no escape for the German fleet
from absolute destruction. It should have been "played" during the
night, and either held or driven northward. How it could work around
the flank of the British fleet and be out of sight at dawn is
impossible of comprehension even when we have made due allowance for
low visibility. And its disappearance was complete. The only German
force that was seen was a lone Zeppelin, which was engaged for fi