SINKING AN AMERICAN STEAMER

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 148, 20 December 1916, Page 8

SINKING AN AMERICAN STEAMER

GERMANY'S EXPLANATION.

(Received December 20, 2 p.m.)

LONDON, 19th December. A United Press message from Berlin says that in Germany's answer to America regarding the sinking of the American steamer Columbian (8580 tons) on 11th November it -was stated that the steamer was stopped and then released, whereupon she sent out a wireless warning of the submarine's presence. This was considered an unneutral act. The vessel was searched and contraband steel was found aboard, and she was snnk.

A 50yds handicap race, held at the Te Aro Baths last evening by the women's branch of the Royal Life-Saving Society, resulted as follows :—Miss E. Buckmaster, ssec, 1; Miss D. Donnelly, ssec, 2; Miss J. Aiken, lsec, 3. Also started :I. Rigg 3 sec . Time, 43sec.

We hope to start immediately with our building at Brockenhurst and trust to get the Kight Hon. W. F. Massey to perform the opening ceremony," writes Mr. A. Varney, formerly of Wellington, concerning the V.M.C.A. work in England. "We have an excellent equipment in the village, and now Col. Wylie ha s agreed for us to work in Ehe hospital grounds. ... We have secured permission from General Richardeon to build a hut in the Hornchurch Camp. Up to the present time there has been little arrangement in the camp for its social lif&" M r . Vamcy reports that improvements ore being carried out to the V.M.C.A. huts at Codford and bling, while it i s h ope d to start operation* ?.h«rtly a!, Wulion-un^humus ntt<! (Srantawn.