This area, No. 5, was designed to cover the approach to the Pentland Firth, both for blockade purposes and as an outpost position for the Fleet at Scapa.
At this time, the northern and central parts of the North Sea were divided into certain numbered areas in which cruisers could be directed by wireless to work without the necessity of making a long signal.
The various areas were approximately placed as follows:
Area No. 1.—Covering the route round the north end of the Shetland Islands from the southward and eastward.
Area No. 2.—Covering the Fair Island Channel to south-eastward, working down to the line Kinnaird Head—Udsire.
Area No. 3.—South-eastward from the N.E. end of the Orkneys to Lat. of Kinnaird Head, with a width of about 50 miles from the line Noss Head—Kinnaird Head.
Area No. 4.—South-eastward 120 miles from the line Kinnaird Head—Udsire Lighthouse between 70 and 140 miles from Kinnaird Head.
Area No. 5.—South-eastward 120 miles from the line Kinnaird Head—Udsire Lighthouse, between Area 4 and Norwegian territorial waters.
Area No. 6.—South-eastward 120 miles from the line Kinnaird Head—Udsire Lighthouse, between 20 and 70 miles from Kinnaird Head.
Area No. 7.—Between Lat. 55.20 N. and 57.50 N. and between 50 and 150 miles from the English coast.