The Battle Fleet cruised in support, the 10 A.M. position of the _Iron Duke_ being Lat. 55.23 N., Long. 5.30 E. At 2 P.M. the Battle Fleet turned to the north-westward, sighting the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron astern at 3.30 P.M. The battle cruisers and light cruisers were stationed 15 miles to the eastward of the Battle Fleet during the night, and the necessary dispositions were taken to provide against a destroyer attack during the night. On November 25th two more tactical exercises were carried out. During the afternoon the wind increased, and thick weather set in, and by daylight on the 26th a heavy southerly gale was blowing, so the attached cruisers were sent to the bases for shelter. The 1st Battle Squadron, 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, and the destroyers, had been detached at midnight on the 25th for Scapa, Rosyth and Invergordon respectively. The original intention was to take the remainder of the Fleet farther north for target practice, but it was abandoned owing to the bad weather, and the _Iron Duke_, the 2nd and 4th Battle Squadrons and the 2nd Cruiser Squadron arrived at Scapa on the 27th. During the absence of the Fleet, the German submarine U 18 was rammed at 12.20 P.M. November 24th by mine-sweeping trawler No. 96, one mile off the Hoxa entrance to Scapa. U 18 was damaged in the collision, dived, hit the bottom and received further damage. All the available patrol craft were ordered to the spot most promptly by the Vice-Admiral commanding the Orkneys and Shetlands and hunted her. She finally came to the surface and surrendered off Muckle Skerry in the Pentland Firth. The submarine sank as the crew came on deck, the sea cocks, probably, having been previously opened. The commanding officer of the submarine, who had apparently intended to try to enter Scapa Flow, expressed great surprise to Admiral Colville at the absence of the Fleet. It seemed possible that he had been deterred from his attempt by the sight of the buoys across the entrance, probably suspecting the presence of an obstruction which, however, was _not_ there. The sinking of the submarine caused the greatest gratification to the local defence forces at Scapa and acted as an incentive to further efforts. It was also, probably, a deterrent to further attacks on the Fleet at Scapa, as the circumstances in which U 18 was sunk were kept most secret in order that the enemy might be led to think that her destruction was due to nets or mines. Indeed, it is very likely that this incident and the secrecy observed had important results in preventing the loss of ships of the Grand Fleet when at anchor in Scapa Flow.