DISASTROUS CYCLONE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4369, 13 October 1916, Page 5

DISASTROUS CYCLONE.

DEVASTATION IN DANISH INDIES. United Press Association— Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams. NEW YORK, Oct. 12. (Received October 12, 9.10 P-m.) A cyclone is raging in the Danish AVcst Indies. , Many people are homeless and many ships are ashore and wrecked at St. Thomas. ‘ , , Serious damage has been done at Santa Cruz and tlie villages. It is estimated that tlie damage totals a million dollars.

THE GREEK SITUATION. ALLIES’ FIRM HAND. ' SITUATION REGARDED AS SERIOUS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) ROME, Oct. 11. M. Venizelos visited (he Entente representatives at Salonika and reviewed 20,000 Greek revolutionaries. Kreach newspapers bint that the Allies are taking a strong line with ; Greece. 'l’he Greek Premier admitted that the situation is serious. He declared no decision had been reached. The Cabinet sat all night after lengthy conferences between King Constantino, M. Lamros, and the Foreign and .Marine Ministers. It is noteworthy that tiie neting-Chief of the General Stali' was present at the Cabinet meeting. GREEK FLEET SURRENDERED TO ALLIES. RESULT OP ULTIMATUM TO GREECE. ALLIES' SENSATIONAL COUP. ALL VESSELS NOW IN OUR HANDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received October 12, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 12. The Exchange Telegraph Company's Athens correspondent says that following the result of an ultimatum from the Allies the Creek Fleet surrendered to the AlliesDETAILS OF THE SURRENDER. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Assn.) (Received October 12, 11.30 p.m.).,. LONDON, October 12. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Athens correspondent says the Creek Cabinet received Admiral Dufcurnet’s ultimatum at midnight demanding the handing over cf the fleet, the arsenal sri Keepatsini Gulf and the northern railway, and also control of the Piraeus, and disarmament of the three forts. The Government, under protest, accounted the ultimatum before the expiry of noon. The smaller vessels cf the fleet will be handed over to the Provisional Government at Salonika and the larger ones disarmed. Admiral Dufournet’s Note was received directly after the Lambros Cabient was sworn in. After the Cabinet meeting, King Constantine motored hastily from Tatci and called the principal Ministers to the Palace. The negotiations were continued until 3 o’clock in the morning, when the decision to surrender the fleet was reached and the Allies were formally notified cf this decision before 12 o’clock.

During the afternoon the Greek crews on the warships disembarked and the breeches cf the guns were removed.

French crews were placed on the smaller ships and French guards placed cn the battleships Kilkis and Lemnos, and armoured cruiser Ceorgios Averoff, which left the Keratsini Gulf with skeleton crews. The Greek naval men submitted without incident.

The railway was still unoccupied late in the afternoon.

A SENSATIONAL STORY. GREECE’S FANGS DRAWN JUST IN TIME. RUMORS OF'SINISTER PREPARATIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received October 13, 12.50 a.m.) ATHENS, October 12. Allied demands were dictated by the disposition of the fleet, which menaced the Allied squadron, and the concentration of troops in the interior, which constituted a danger to the Allied army.

It was reported in London yesterday that trenches were being dug along the Piraeus-Larissa railway, and that the King’s Palace at Larissa was being prepared and 50,000 Greek troops concentrated. The Allies’ demands followed hot upon these rumors anti aroused a profound sensation throughout Creece, but, on the whole, were carried out without excitement at Athens and Piraeus.

Greece has thirty-three ships, excluding fourteen destroyers and six modern torpedoers and four gun beats and two submarines, which apparently will be handed to the Provisional Government.

A staff of .British naval officers has. been lent to the Greek Government since April. 1911. The Navy consists of the battleships Kilkis and Lemnos, each of 1-1,000 tons, and launched in 1905. They were purchased from the United States Government in 1914 and mount a heavy anuaiieut (four 12inch, four R-inch and eight .-inch guns apiece). There is also the fast armored cruiser Georgies Averoff, which is very heavily armed, and which in 1912 performed wonders against the Turkish fleet, ami. almost unaided, kept it in cheek : three small batleships of about 1800 tons displacement, and each mounting three 10.3in eh guns; 18 modern destroyers and torpedo boats, two submarines, and a few gunboats and torpedo craft of no great lighting value. The torpedo era ft include- six modern uestroj ers. purchased just before the outbreak of the Balkans war in 1912. I luvo is also one dreadnought being built in France—-a ship of 23.500 tons, armed with ten 13.5-inch guns and twen-ty-two 5.5-inch guns. .The naval personnel is about 44)00 men.