London, Jan. 25. An attempt by a
3erman cruiser squadron to repeat
me attack recently made on Scarbor
ough, the Hartepools and other Brit
ish coast towns, was frustrated Sun
lay by the British patrolling squadron
ind in a running fight the German ar
mored cruiser Bluecher was sunk and
two German battle cruisers were seri
ously damaged.
The British Bhips suffered only
slight injury. So far as is known only
123 of the Bluecher's crew of 885 was
saved.
A battle also occurred between the
light cruisers and destroyers accom
panying the bigger ships, but the re
sult of this engagement has not yet
reached the admiralty. The British
were superior in ships engaged, weight
of armament and speed, and the flight
at the German ships into the mine and
submarine - infested field possibly
saved them from further losses.
The Bluecher was a cruiser of 15,550
tons displacement and, although com
missioned in 1908, was completely re
rigged last year. She was not classed
as a battle cruiser but was in the
next class to those formidable fight
ers. With her were the Derfllnger,
Germany's latest battle cruiser, which
had just left ihe builders' hands, and
tht battle cruisers Seydlltz and
Moltke, the latter sister ship of the
Goeben, formerly of the German, but
now of the Turkish fleet, which was
recently reported damaged by the Rus
sians in the Black sea.
