SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 May 1917, Page 5

SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

LOSS OF THE ALNWICK CASTLE.

VESSEL SUNK WITHOUT WAITING. srnvivons' teuki])j,k SUFFERINGS. LONDON, May 11. The TV.ifts Bureau utat.s : 'J. ho Alnwick Castle \va» torpedoed without warning 320 miles from the Scihies, the nearest land Icing' 130 miles distant. Those placed in the boats included a baby three months old. Captain Chave, the Alnwick Castle's mas. ter. reporting to the owners, give.! an urn-ami:hed tale of the horrors his boatload of castaways endured during their four days" exposure to gales and hitter weather. Captain Chave had taken the precaution to ir.stal in all the boats a supply of milk, beef, biscuit,*, and blankets, but the suffering was intense. The occupant*! were constantly soaked with ice cold spray and everybody gradually weakened. Several died.

Captain Chave narrates-: "The whole of the second day the- crew spent 'hi fighting the sea, and as it was., impossible to hoist a sail they lashed two oars together and formed a. sra anchor. On the third day the thirst intensified the agonies of exli'nistir>n, exposure, and sleepier, <ness. Pitiful appeals were made for waterbut T wa.--, only able to issue an extra ration to a few of the weaker ones. '"A hailstorm commenced and the hailstones, were eagerly ncraped from our cloth in £. I ordered a sail to be

rru-cad to catch water, but unfortuna+eV the- rainstorm passed. Several drank salt water in defiance of orders and became liu'ht-headed. Next morning most of the men were helpless and several were riving with delirium and one died. * •'Once the boat swamped in the darknes.; and 1 thought that all was over. A moam of despair rose out of the darkness and 1 shouted, 'Bale! Bale !' Finally 1 y superhuman efforts the boat was. saved. By morning several had collapsed and more bad lust their reason and climbed about the boat, threatening to light. Their appeals for water were..so angry that 1 gave an extra allowance of water, which was served out amid much cm s.ing and snatching. Only one ra. tion remained and another and yet another man died and others were dying. '"No one could now eat' biscuits or swallow anything solid. Everyone's throat war, afire, the lips furred, the limbs numbed, the hands bloodless, and' the feet swollen to twice their ntrmal size. On the last day three died. ■'A French horse boat, the Yenezh, picked up the eighteen survivors in the afternoon. They were so enfeebled that they could not walk and all were hoi:',!ed aboard and landed at New Y.M-k."

Captain Chave d"<es not know wheher the--other live boats were picked

LLOYD'S BUSINESS.

TAKEN OVE1? BY THE STATE.

LOXDOX, May 11. Owing to the high insurance rates charged for ordinary sea risks it is rumoured that the Government is arranging to take over the great or part of Lloyd's business. SHSPPIMG LOSSES. EREXCH ADMIRAL'S REPORT. PARTS, May 11-Yiee-Admiral Bienamie states that 1,151,795 tons of Allied shipping wore 'sunk during,, the first quarter of 1917- April's figures were 700,000 tons.

ALLIES' LOSSES

\ FREXCII REPORT

LONDON

May 11

A French communique states: During the week ending May 6th arrivals of merchantmen totalled 940 and departures 930- There were sunk one vessel of over 1600 tons and seven under 1600 tons. Six merchantmen were unsuccessfully attacked. Jive fishing boats were sunk-

THE SITUATION GRIPPED.

BRITISH PRESS STATEMENT LONDON, May 13.

The French and English newspapers contain veiled announcements ilint the Allies during tho pant week lvivo li'et a grip oi the submarine situation and can face the future without undue apprehension.