But when the engagement ended the opposing
fleets were within seventy miles of Helgoland, and the German admiralty
had ready a fleet of dreadnoughts and another of battle cruisers to
engage the British ships when they got within striking distance.
By ending the fight when he did the British commander chose not to
be led into this trap. Nor was there dissatisfaction in England
alone. In Germany the complaint was that the ruse had not worked,
and not long afterward Admiral von Ingenohl was replaced as commander
of the High Sea Fleet by Admiral von Pohl. None of the blame for
the failure was laid at the door of the officer who had actually
been engaged in the fighting--Admiral Hipper--which showed that
his senior officers had considered the engagement as part of a
larger action.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XL
RESULTS OF SIX MONTHS' NAVAL OPERATIONS
The first six months of naval operations in the Great War came to
a close without battle between the main fleets of the navies of
the warring nations. The British navy had kept open communication
with the Continent, allowing the Expeditionary Force, as well as
later military contingents, to get to the trenches in Flanders
and France. It had, in addition, made possible the transportation
of troops from Canada and Australia. The ports of France were open
for commerce with America, which permitted the importation of arms
and munitions, and the same privilege had been won for the ports
in the British Isles.
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