THE BATTLE IN THE NORTH SEA
mines as they went, pursued by two British craft, firing with telling effect. Northward a fourth had surrendered, while, fair in the course of the Gyandotte, poking her nose through the mist, a German light cruiser was in flames. The Gyandotte picked up signals and veered to the westward where the merchantmen were doggedly holding their course. As it turned out later, they had had their troubles, they and the ships left to guard them, for a U-boat had again attacked and had got home on a fourth freighter which, as the Gyandotte drew near, was spouting smoke forward. Three miles away a destroyer was circling in a vain endeavor to And the sub, while two others were standing by the burning ship.
At ten o'clock the engagement was over, having occupied just under four hours and resulted in a decisive victory for the Allied forces. Germany had lost two of three cruisers and three of eight destroyers. Of the latter, one was captured and was later able to reach Newcastle under her own power. The cruisers, Domburg and Ernten, sank, the latter, slightly larger than the Gyandotte's adversary, first burning to the water's edge. Of the Allied ships, the British destroyer Jade was sunk by a torpedo and the 276, attacked simultaneously by a destroyer and cruiser, was
255
