for steam, and in some cases the workmen remained in the ships and continued the work at sea. On December 12th serious defects in the boilers of the _Liverpool_ became apparent and the speed of the ship was limited to 17 knots. This defect, which first showed itself in this ship, gradually affected the boilers of the same type in all ships so fitted, as they experienced a certain degree of wear, and from this time onwards there was usually one, and occasionally two, light cruisers paid off for the purpose of carrying out the necessary repairs which occupied a period of two or three months. This reduction in the number of efficient light cruisers was serious, at a time when our numbers compared badly with those possessed by the enemy. On December 14th directions were given to the 2nd Battle Squadron and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron at Scapa, the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron at Cromarty and all the available destroyers which were at that base, and the 3rd Cruiser Squadron from Rosyth, to proceed to sea to meet at a rendezvous in Lat. 57.20 N., Long. 0.10 W., at 2.30 P.M. on December 15th, the force then to proceed to the southward with a view to sweeping the western portion of the North Sea. The 2nd Battle Squadron--without the _Thunderer_, which was refitting, and, therefore, comprising only six ships--left Scapa early on the 15th, but in passing through the Pentland Firth the attached cruisers _Blanche_ and _Boadicea_ were seriously damaged by the heavy sea running as the result of the late exceptional gales, and were forced to return. The _Boadicea_ had her bridge washed away and lost several men swept overboard and drowned. This ship was sent to the Clyde for repairs; the damage to the _Blanche_ being less was made good at Scapa. The number of destroyers accompanying the force was, unfortunately, very inadequate, the 2nd Battle Squadron being unprovided with any vessels of this class, as the weather conditions in the Pentland Firth made it out of the question for destroyers to go to sea from Scapa. It was decided not to postpone the sweep on this account. I ordered all available destroyers out from Cromarty in the hope that the weather conditions in the Moray Firth might be better than at Scapa; only seven were available, however, and I therefore asked the Admiralty to direct the Commodore (T), with the 1st and 3rd Flotillas from Harwich, to meet the northern force at a southern rendezvous at daylight on December 16th. This proposal was not carried out, however, the Harwich force, which was at sea, remaining a considerable distance to the southward.