Birthday gifts

A Zeppelin destroyed

North Sea fight: all our ships back

Today the German Emperor is many years older than he was 12 months ago. Birthday messages are undoubtedly pouring in but some carefully prepared beforehand have had to undergo much revision. Others will not add to the gaiety of his situation and these include the many happy returns for the barbarities he has countenanced and authorised.

The smashing blow to his baby killing fleet, the loss of another Zeppelin, the defeat inflicted upon his troops by the British at La Bassee, the reply to his submarine threats, should all help to induce a frame of mind barely in accordance with customary birthday festivities.

What will happen before the next anniversary of his birth comes around?

Some further information with regard to Sunday’s naval action in the North Sea issued last night from the Admiralty clears up the mystery round the German claim to have sunk a British vessel and by the official silence as to the light cruiser and destroyer squadrons.

All the British ships and destroyers, says the statement, have returned safely to port.

The extent of the injuries sustained by them seems to be a shot below the water line of the flagship Lion which flooded some of her forward compartments and unspecified damage to the torpedo boat destroyer, Meteor. Both these vessels had to be towed to port but the official declaration is that the repairs will be speedily conducted.

The loss of life so far ascertained is very small, one officer and nine men of the Tiger and four men on the Meteor while the wounded comprise three officers and eight men on the Tiger, 17 men on the Lion and one man on the Meteor.

Among the many disappointments which the German General staff have suffered, prominent place must be given to the failure of the Zeppelins which were to do so much damage and strike terror in the hearts of the “contemptible” British.

Their vulnerability to fire from below has now been demonstrated. One of those gas bags was brought down at Lisbon on Monday and speedily destroyed and the raid on London appears further off than ever, although the attempt may yet be made.

The activity of the German Western armies was probably connected with the desire to furnish a suitable gift for the kaiser but we learnt last night how the efforts terminated.

According to the British official statement several violent German attacks were beaten off, 200 of the enemy being found dead at one point alone while 50 prisoners including two officers were taken.

It is evident that there has been some very hard fighting and that the British scored a great victory. The full story of the fighting will make excellent reading, doubtless many valuable lives have been lost but the cost to the enemy must have been very great.

From all quarters comes news to shake the nerve of the Germans.

Yesterday we reported that Romania had been purchasing large quantities of ambulance material and since usually the requisitioning of Red Cross material represents the last stage of military preparations we may look as February being the month that the Romanian government takes action.