Prior to leaving Lough Swilly, news arrived from the Admiralty that the light cruiser _Undaunted_, of the Harwich force, was being chased by several German vessels in southern waters, and that hostile battle cruisers had been sighted off Gorleston. These occurrences had, presumably, led to the ordering of the Fleet to Scapa. As it was thought that the operations of the German battle cruisers might be part of a general movement, orders were sent to the 3rd Battle Squadron to join the Commander-in-Chief at Scapa, the 1st and 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadrons being directed to proceed with all dispatch towards Heligoland, with the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron; the 2nd and 6th Cruiser Squadrons were ordered to Scapa to coal, and the 10th Cruiser Squadron to the Shetlands for the same purpose, ready for eventualities. These orders were cancelled when it became apparent that the German movement was local, and that our ships would be too late to intercept the enemy. On this occasion, the German cruiser _Yorck_, when returning to port, struck a German mine and sank. The base at Loch-na-Keal was abandoned when the Fleet left Lough Swilly, and the obstructions removed by the battleship _Illustrious_. On November 3rd the Admiralty issued a general notice proclaiming the North Sea as an area in which hostile operations were being carried out, and pointing out the danger incurred by neutral vessels which entered the North Sea without first ascertaining the steps necessary for safety. On November 5th the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ left Cromarty for Devonport by Admiralty orders, prior to proceeding to search for Admiral von Spee’s squadron in the South Atlantic. This order, the necessity for which was apparent, and the subsequent results of which were undoubtedly of high value, had, however, the effect of still further weakening the Grand Fleet. The _Iron Duke_, with the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battle Squadrons cruised between the Hebrides, Faroe Islands and Shetlands after November 4th, and carried out gunnery practices and battle exercises as opportunity occurred. The 1st Battle Squadron was sent to Scapa to coal on the 7th, the 2nd Battle Squadron on the 8th, and the _Iron Duke_ and 4th Battle Squadron arrived there on the 9th. The 2nd, 3rd and 10th Cruiser Squadrons were engaged on blockade work during this period. On November 6th, the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, with the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron and one-half of the 4th Flotilla, was sent from Cromarty to carry out a sweep of the North Sea, passing through the following positions, namely: 1. Lat. 56.0 N. Long. 1.30 E. 2. Lat. 57.50 N. Long. 5.0 E. 3. Lat. 60.10 N. Long. 3.15 E. 4. Lat. 61.20 N. Long. 3.0 E. 5. Lat. 61.0 N. Long. 1.0 E. 6. Lat. 58.50 N. Long. 0.0 . thence the Battle Cruiser Squadron and destroyers were to go to Cromarty and the light cruisers to Scapa.