ventured out, to attack by the whole force of the Germans, were to remain behind the guns of the forts, or such guns as had not been sold off by the War Office and the British Government in the general anxiety to effect retrenchments. The entire naval force was mobilised, though the mobilisation was not as yet quite complete.
On Tuesday night the British Admiralty had available the following ships:—
AT PORTLAND—
Eleven battleships of the Channel Fleet.
Eleven battleships of the Reserve.
Seven armoured cruisers.
Twelve ocean-going destroyers.
Twelve coastal destroyers.
Ten submarines.
Twenty older destroyers.
Ten protected cruisers.
OFF DUNGENESS—
Two armoured cruisers.
Ten submarines.
Four sea-going destroyers.
Ten older destroyers.
Twelve coastal destroyers.
WEST COAST OF IRELAND—
Two large protected cruisers.
MILFORD HAVEN—
Nine armoured cruisers of the Channel Cruiser Squadron.
Eight ocean-going destroyers.
LAND'S END—
One large protected cruiser.
Ten older destroyers.
CAPE WRATH—
Two armoured cruisers.
Ten older destroyers.
Twelve ocean-going destroyers.
And at various points along the south coast twelve coastal destroyers and a dozen old protected cruisers. The Chatham ships were not included in this force,
