THE RECENT NAVAL ACTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3113, 18 June 1917, Page 5

THE RECENT NAVAL ACTION

CHARGE OF CRUELTY AGAINST THE : BRITISH REFUTED. (Rec. June I", 5.5 p.m.) London, June 15. The Admiralty emphatically denies German wireless accusations of inhumanity against the British, destroyers -which engaged German torpedo destroyers on June 5, sinking the S2O and seriously damaging three others. The Germans declare that the English left from twenty to> twenty-five Germans in the water, although the sea was smooth. They state further that the rescues would not have entailed danger. The facts are that .vome members of the S2o's crew remained on deck and trained a torpedo tube on. a rescuing destroyer after a boat had been lowered and was actually picking up survivors. The commander of the 3eKtroyer continued his efforts, but the Germans were evidently ordered to avoid capture, and swam away. The commander recalled the boat on three enemy seaplanes appearing overhead, and the , shore batteries meanwhile repeatedly hit the destroyer's upper works. Nothing more could possibly have been done. The rescuing destroyer had already incurred grave risks.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter.