AMERICA'S DEEPENING WAR CLOUD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 35, 9 February 1917, Page 5

AMERICA'S DEEPENING WAR CLOUD.

NEW AND EXTREMELY DISQUIETING FACTORS. "——CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CALIFORNIA OUTRAGE. (Received 10 ajn.) WASHINGTON, February 8. Correspondents are less hopeful of the situation and of the po_ibility of •rating war. Two new factors, the sinking of the California and the reported *■—ing of a general hostage by Germany of America™, have had an extremely —"[dieting effect. It is pointed out that the California was a passenger ship, and that «k was sunk without warning. The fact that the one American who waa •Iwsrd was saved was not due to the submarine's precautions, as it fired two t""rp— ies at a range of two hundred yards. The American Consul at Queenstown states that the loss of life may be pater than has been reported.

ADVICE TO NEUTRAL MERCHANTMEN.

NEW YORK, February 8. The American Line has discontinued bookings for its steamers. Mr. Lansing has advised the American Steamship Line that if neutral """rc&antinen believe they are likely to be unlawfully attacked they may take B 7 "Meessary measures to prevent or resist such attacks. I GERMAN BANKS TRANSFERRING GOLD. (Received 10.30 ajn.) NEW YORK, February 8. Since the erisk large balances in German banks in the United States have "■"""a. transferred quietly, mostly to South America. A million dollars in gold •we shaped to-day for Argentina.