ON THE SEAS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15460, 13 December 1915, Page 8

ON THE SEAS.

THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS, AMERICAN SENATOR'S COMPLAINT.' (By Cable.—Pre* Association.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON. December 10. Senator Hoke-Smith, in Congress, demanded that' Britain, should cease interfering with American shipping. Ho alluded to Britain's increased lawlessness in trampling on neutral rights. He pointed out that the United States was not a dependency of Great Britain. . He said that Gormany was quite as good a friend to the United States as was Britain. AMERICAN STEAMER STOPPED. GERMAN PASSENGERS REMOVED. NEW }ORK, Decembor 12. • A French cruiser stopped the American steamer. San Juan and took off two German passengers. AMERICA AND-AUSTRIA. DIPLOMATIC RUPTURE THREATENED. WASHINGTON. Dcccmber 10. • A rupture of diplomatic relations . with Austria is impending, unless Aastna disavows the sinking of tho steamer Ancona. 1 GERMAN ATTACHES. WITHDRAWN BY THE KAISER. W ASHINGTON, December 10. Tho Kaiser has personally withdrawn Captain von Papon, military attache, nnd Captain Boy-ed, naval attache. SAFE CONDUCT WANTED. A COOL REQUEST. WASHINGTON. December 12. Mr Lansing, Secretary of State, at the request of the Kaiser, will ask Britain for a safe conduct for tho dismissed attaches. GERMANY'S FLEET. "A PIECE OF ARMOUR." LONDON, December 10. A representative of a German journal who visited the German fleet describes it as "anxiously tho North Sea and the Baltic. He ssys:—"lt is a piece of armour covering a vulnerable spot. Without its aid, England might have brought pressure to bear upon Denmark, just as her action at tho Dardanelles aimed at terrorising. the whole of the Balkans into joining the Allies. Our fleet forces England to pay regard to America, .'and without it Eng- ' land's. ■ chanco of forcing a peacc with us would be ten' times greater than it is to-day. It is not Germany's place to provoke a dceisivo battle at sea. That would be licroic. but not war.": .

OUTRAGES IN AMERICA. BETHLEHEM STEEL WORKS - DESTROYED. MARTIAL LAW IN VIRGINIA. NEW YORK, December 10. An explosion in Pennsylvania destroyed part of the Bethlehem Steel Company's plant, which is engaged in the manufacture of munitions. Several persons were killed and fifteen injured. The destruction of the town of Hopewell by fire in Virginia has rendered 20,000 people homeless. Infuriated people lynched a negro who was caught looting. Martial law has been declared and suspected persons with German sympathies have been arrested. The shipment of munitions to tho Allies will suffer heavily. BRITISH STEAMER ON FIRE. (Received December 12th, 11.00 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dccembrr 12. The British cargo steamer Tyningharoe has returned to port on fire. Chemicals caused an explosion in her cargo of sugar, which is consigned to Britain. _Tho Tyninghamc is a steamer ofr 3740 tons gross register, owned by Messrs Griffiths, Lewis and Co., of Cardiff.