At 11.30 A.M. Commodore Goodenough, in the _Southampton_ (1st Light Cruiser Squadron), sighted an enemy light cruiser and destroyers steering to the southward, gave chase with the _Birmingham_ and engaged them; owing to the spray washing over the ship, and to the mist, no result was visible. Three other enemy light cruisers, or cruisers, were sighted to the south-westward shortly before 11.50 A.M., at about which time touch with these vessels was lost. At 12.16 P.M., German cruisers and destroyers were sighted in Lat. 54.23 N., Long. 2.14 E. by the 2nd Battle Squadron distant about five miles on a bearing north by west, steering to the eastward, having evidently come out through the gap in the mine-fields as was anticipated; the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron at this time was some 15 miles north of the Battle Squadron. It seems probable that the German force passed either between our 2nd Battle Squadron and the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, or ahead of the former and astern of the latter. On sighting our Battle Squadron, which turned to close, the enemy steered to the northward and disappeared shortly afterwards in the mist, steaming at high speed, and without being engaged by the 2nd Battle Squadron. The 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron did not sight any enemy forces. The escape of the enemy’s force was most disappointing, seeing that our own squadrons were in a very favourable position for intercepting the raiders. Low visibility was the main reason for their escape, but the absence from the Battle Squadron (through the bad weather in the Pentland Firth) of its attached cruisers and of a sufficient force of destroyers was a contributory cause, as well as the fact of our light cruisers having lost touch with the enemy at 11.50. At 3 P.M. the Vice-Admiral of the 2nd Battle Squadron informed me of the main features of the position, and stated that he was in Lat. 54.43 N., Long. 1.55 E., steering to the northward, with the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, adding that he had ordered the battle cruisers and light cruisers to rejoin him. At about 2 P.M. the Admiralty informed me that it was thought, from the information given by our directional stations, that other ships of the High Sea Fleet were probably at sea, and at 6.30 P.M. I gave all our forces a rendezvous at which to meet at 6 A.M. on the 17th. The force from Scapa, consisting of the 1st and 4th Battle Squadrons, with the 2nd Flotilla, and the 1st, 2nd and 6th Cruiser Squadrons, met at this time the force under Sir George Warrender, the 3rd Battle Squadron under Vice-Admiral E. E. Bradford, and the Commodore (T) with three light cruisers, and proceeded to the southward. During the afternoon of the 17th the Admiralty was able to ascertain (by directional wireless telegraphy) and to inform me that the ships of the High Sea Fleet, previously reported, were now in harbour.