THE TOLL OF THE BRAVE 349 



Government, without exchanges of prisoners of war 

 being demanded. From these two ships of the line, 

 with their combined crews of nearly 1400, only 13 

 persons were saved ; but altogether that Christmas of a 

 century ago, on the coast of Jutland, claimed nearly 

 2000 lives. A bitter North Sea gale in winter 

 caused a far heavier loss in ships and men to England 

 than the battle of Trafalgar. 



