At 1010 p.m. it was reported to the Commander-in-Chief that an enemy vessel was lying damaged and stopped three miles to port of the battle fleet's course. The Commander-in-Chief at once turned the battle fleet to engage this unit, It is now known that this ship was the Italian cruiser Polo, While the battle fleet was approaching the Polo three enemy cruisers were seen on the starboard bow, As the enemy cruisers passed ahead of the screen. H.M.S. Greyhound (Comár. W. R. Marshall Ay\Deane) illuminated the leading heavy cruiser. Our battle fleet at once opened fire. The enemy must have been taken completely by surprise, The first salvoes hit at a range of about 4,000 yards and practically wrecked both the heavy cruisers of the Zara class as far as Aghting was concern-Enemy destroyers which were astern of the cruisers were then seen to turn and fire torpedoes, and our battle fleet turned away to avoid Two them. Exactly what followed is still obscure, but H.M.AS. Stuart (Capt. H, M. L. Waller) and H.M.S, Havock (Lieut, G. R. G. Watkins) certainly did considerable execution. The attacking force of destroyers, which It appears probable that during the night the Littorió-class battleship became heavily engaged with her own forces, as heavy gunfire was heard at a time and from a direction which made it impossible for any of our forces to be engaged.
As soon as it became possible that a fleet action might take place, a force of Greek destroyers steamed out to the westward in the hope of intercepting enemy forces endeavouring to escape into the Adriatic. Unfortunately, the line of the enemy retreat did not give them an opportunity to attack, Extensive air search next morning failed to disclose any of the remaining Italian ships, which must have made their escape under cover of darkness, The results of this action, so far as is at present known, are that the heavy cruisers Zara, Polo and Fiume were sunk; one 6 in. gun cruiser of the Colleone class was probably sunk; the large Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti and the destroyer Maestrale were sunk; and the large destroyer Alfieri probably sunk. The new battleship of the Littorio-class sustained serious under-water damage, and other enemy units were also certainly damaged, None of our ships sustained either damage or casualties. The total. British losses, during these operations were two naval aircraft.
In the north, Ufsa Major has crossed In e south, Arcturus transits not very far from the zenith. Spica has just passed by, a little below. Lower is Centaurus. A
Centauri's parallaxe is 76. The light distance of this very ex Way runs all bifurcation is visible,
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