But there was always the dominating factor--men, not ships, win battles. The British seaman, with the glorious traditions of centuries behind him, is in every way superior to the brute who mans the fleet of the Black Cross Ensign.
Then the general found himself mentally kicking himself for not sharing in the admiral's optimism.
"Sefton's right," he concluded. "When we get more news we'll find that all's well."
At Gloucester the admiral sent off a telegram, bought four different papers, scanned the bulletins in the windows of the publishing offices, and found himself little wiser than before; but at Worcester, where the motorists stopped for lunch, they found the outlook much brighter.
Steps had already been taken to counteract the depressing effects of the preliminary official announcement of the Battle of Jutland. The loss of the Warspite and Marlborough, both ships having been claimed as sunk by the Germans, was categorically denied, and a statement of the British vessels, known to be sunk, given. Enemy ships, aggregating in tonnage more than that of our losses, were claimed only when definite reports of their fate were received, from which it was now evident that, far from being a German victory, the honours rested with the fleet under Jellicoe's command.
At the post office Admiral Sefton obtained a wire, sent in reply to his telegram from Gloucester. It was from an old shipmate, now holding an appointment at Whitehall, and was as follows:--
"Vessel in question has not returned to base."
Without a word the admiral handed the buff paper to his friend. Hardly a muscle of Crosthwaite Senior's weather-beaten face moved as he read the momentous but indefinite news, although the "vessel in question" was the T.B.D. Calder, and both men had similar personal interests in the matter.
For the moment private considerations held supreme sway. The two men mutually extended their right hands and exchanged sympathetic grips.
"If they are knocked out, it was in the thick of the scrap," declared General Crosthwaite. "I'll stake my all upon that."