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This was the voice of the British battleship Queen Mary, which, taking directions from the Glasgow's aviator, had fired the opening shot, telling the Germans that their approach had been discovered and that the passage of the Skagerak would be contested. Immediately the German fleet slowed down; for the German admiral had no means of knowing the strength of the British fleet at that point.
Whether the Germans knew that there were but three British vessels in the Skagerak cannot be told, but certainly they believed they were in sufficient strength to force a passage, particularly by a surprise attack, which they believed the present venture would be. Therefore, it must have been a great disappointment to the German admiral when a single big gun boomed in the distance.
A Danish fleet lay in the Skagerak, blocking his way of reënforcements by sea. It was so well shielded there that its commander sent word to the King to rest easy; nothing could happen to him. He would join him presently. Tordenskjold saw that if he could capture or destroy this fleet Norway was saved; the siege must perforce be abandoned.
But it is not only the big projectile itself which has energy, for this projectile carries a large charge of high explosive, which exploding some miles away from where it started, exerts a power inherent in itself, that was exhibited with frightful effect at the battles of Tsushima and the Skagerak. This brings us to the auto-torpedo, a weapon recently perfected; in fact not perfected yet.
Home bases that approach perfection were evidenced after the battle off the Skagerak; for the wounded ships of both sides took refuge after the battle in protected bases, where they were repaired and refitted, and resupplied with fighting men and fuel.
Probably a Zeppelin or two with them. Fortunate we have these new anti-aircraft guns aboard. They weren't completed any too soon. Raleigh, what ships are in the Skagerak now?" "Only three, I believe. The Glasgow, Albert and the Victoria, the former a battle cruiser and the latter two torpedo boats. If we can arrive in time there will be five of us.
Though the retreat of Thijssen meant for him a heavy financial loss, de Geer never for a moment faltered in his purpose. Within three weeks Thijssen again put to sea with twenty-two ships, and by skilful manoeuvring he succeeded in making his way through the Skagerak and the Sound, and finally brought his fleet to anchor in the Swedish harbour of Calmar.
Frank saluted and took his departure. Jack stood at attention in Captain Raleigh's cabin as the commander of the Queen Mary again plunged into a mass of charts. Captain Raleigh sprang to his feet and opened his watch. "Four o'clock," he said. "We won't reach Skagerak until well after six. I am in hopes the Germans will not try to pass through before early morning. We shall be ready for them then."
Skagerak, in which the greatest naval battle of history was about to be fought, is an arm of the North Sea between Norway and Denmark. The scene of the battle was laid off Jutland and Horn Reef, on the southern extremity of Denmark. From the reef of Heligoland, the main German base in the North Sea, to Jutland, is about one hundred miles as the crow flies.
This was all the better for us, as we could hardly be said to be absolutely ready for sea when we passed Færder, and came into the capricious Skagerak. Hard pressed as we had been for time, it had not been possible to lash and stow the last of our cargo as securely as was desirable; a stiff breeze at the mouth of the fjord would therefore have been rather inconvenient.
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