Patrol C.--A line 80 miles long, 360° from Lat. 59.40 N., Long. 9.0 W. Patrol D.--Eastern line of patrol to be 80 miles in the direction 335° from St. Kilda. The ships were ordered to patrol on east and west courses on each side of the centre line at a speed of at least 13 knots by day, zigzagging. At the same time four ships were directed to carry out a special patrol of the Norwegian coast between the parallels of 62 N. and 62.20 N. This patrol was maintained until the 22nd. As indicating the growing work of the ships of the 10th Cruiser Squadron and the efficiency of the blockade, the Rear-Admiral of the 10th Cruiser Squadron reported on January 18th that 80 ships had been intercepted by his squadron since December 26th, 52 of which were eastward-bound. The strength of the 10th Cruiser Squadron had now risen to 21 ships, exclusive of the _Viknor_, the loss of which ship with her fine ship’s company was deeply regretted. A patrol to the eastward of the Pentland Firth was at this period being worked by the _Sappho_ and five armed boarding-steamers, which were supported at night by one or two cruisers or light cruisers as necessary. The _Monarch_ returned from being repaired at Devonport on the 20th. Temporary repairs to the _Conqueror_ had been completed about January 18th, but the ship was detained pending more favourable weather conditions; on the 21st she left for a southern dockyard, escorted by four destroyers. On clearing the Pentland Firth, however, she found that the sea was too heavy for the passage to be made with safety in her damaged condition, and the ship returned to Scapa, where further work was taken in hand and it was decided that it would be necessary to dock her in the floating-dock at Invergordon to effect more permanent repairs for the passage south than could be carried out by divers at Scapa. She reached Invergordon on January 24th. On January 23rd the 1st and 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadrons and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron at Rosyth left for a sweep in the southern portion of the North Sea, in conjunction with the Harwich force. The remainder of the Grand Fleet acted in support. The 1st and 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadrons (except the _Queen Mary_, which was absent refitting) and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron were directed to a rendezvous, where the Commodore (T), with available destroyers and light cruisers, was ordered to meet them. The 3rd Battle Squadron and 3rd Cruiser Squadron were ordered to the vicinity of the battle cruisers’ rendezvous. The _Iron Duke_, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battle Squadrons, the 1st, 2nd and 6th Cruiser Squadrons, and the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, available destroyers of 2nd and 4th Flotilla (a total of 28 destroyers) left Scapa during the evening of the 23rd and proceeded towards the same rendezvous.