At a quarter past one it was plain that not a German
ship remained to challenge the Grand Fleet. So Jellicoe made for his
base; took in fuel, stores, and ammunition; and at half-past nine next
evening was ready for another battle.
_The News_. Very different was the plight of the flying Germans, who
lost more ships than the British (eighteen, and perhaps six more, to
fourteen British) and who left the field for good and all. But Germany
sorely needed a victory just then. So the Kaiser proclaimed one, and
all the German papers echoed his words. The German lie got two days
start of the British truth, and was eagerly repeated by every one who
hated the British or Allies. On the other hand, the British Government
simply said that there had been a battle and that fourteen British
ships were down. They shrank from proclaiming the victory, because
they thought that most people, knowing nothing of modern naval war and
making no allowance for the weather and other German advantages, would
not believe in a victory which let any of the German ships escape.
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