PIRATE OUTRAGE IN SPANISH WATERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3144, 24 July 1917, Page 5

PIRATE OUTRAGE IN SPANISH WATERS

♦ : VICTIM FORCED BEYOND THE TJJHEE-MILE LIMIT. The Norwegian steamship Askild, a vessel of 2204 tons gross register, which left New York on April 5 with cargo for England, was torpedoed and sunk by a. German submarine on May 19, near the French coast, after leaving-England for Africa. "Wo had time to take to the boats," Otto Bernsen, one. of the crew, said, "and then we had a narrow escape from death by shell-fire. A French destroyer came up and fired on the submarine, and the submarine fired back. We were between both craft in small bouts, and shells fell all about us." He o.nd his mates also told how the commander of a German submarine seized the Norwegian steamship Tiger as she wa3 lyiig at anchor within one mile of the Spanish coast, removed her crew, and placed his own men on board to take her out beyond the three-mile limit to sink her: The men from the Askild said they were told the story by members of the Tiger's crew, whom they had seen in.England. The Tiger, they said, was waiting to enter a Spanish port to discharge cargo. The submarine came up between it and the coast, and under cover of her guns sent a boarding party to the Norwegian. Tho first demand was that the skipper take his vessel beyond the three-mile limit himself. Tins he refused to, whereupon the German commander said:— "Then I will give you just five minntes to get into your boats. If you don't I will sink you as you are." The skipper of the Tiger complied. Then twelvo mon from the submarine came aboard, cut the anchor-chain, etarted the engines, and, followed by the U-boat, nayicated the steamer beyond the three-mile limit, where thoy sank her with bombs.