DESTROYER BATTLE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 268, 28 October 1916, Page 5

DESTROYER BATTLE.

IN ENGLISH CHANNEL.

GERMANS ATTACK TRANS-

PORTS

AND ARE BADLY BEATEN

[high commissioner's message. X (Received 28, 10.20 a.m.) London, Oct. 27, 4.25 p.m. The Admiralty report that during last night ten enemy destroyers attempted a raid on across-channel transports and failed. One empty transport was sunk. The crew was saved. Two enemy destroyers were sunk, and the rest driven off. One British destroyer Flirt is missing, and it is feared that she is lost. It is reported that nine of the crew have been saved. Another,British destroyer Nubian was disabled by a torpedo, and was being towed when the tow rope parted owing to bad weather. The Nubian then went ashore. THE LOST MINE SWEEPER. Official: The mine sweeper which was reported sunk yesterday was the Ganista. Twelve were saved. XVhen last seen the ship was sinking, but was still engaged with the enemy submarine. THE U53’S. xX REPORTED ARRIVAL AT NORFOLK, U.S.A. New York, Oct. 27. The Navy Department has learned that a German submarine has arrived at Norfolk. All information has been withheld. A later message states that a submarine’s arrival has only been reported and that the report is unconfirmed.

| AMERICA’S ATTITUDE.

DISCUSSED IN THE LORDS

London, Oct. 27.

Lord Sjdenhatn raised the question of the depredations of the U 53 in the House of Lords. He asked whether’they were in conformity with Germany’s pledge.

Miss Atherton says:— “Prisoners were returning in rags, and suffering from tubercular disease requiring special treatment in French hospitals I learned from a thoroughly reliable source that French prisoners were not only forced to sleep with tuberculosis sufferers, but to eat and drink out ot the same vessels, which were unwashed. Moreover there are authenticated cases wherein prisoners were given injections of tuberculosis serum under pretence of vaccination against typhoid.” n , This report is confirmed by doctors who have had special opportunities of obtaining accurate information.

KULTUR OBSESSED PROFESSOR.

WORLD GERMANISATION AFTER THE WAR.

“WE DON’T THINK.”

(Received 28, 9.20 a.m.) New York, Oct. 27.

Professor Muensterberg in an extraordinary utterance, said the Gernan ideal was not individual works, but service for the whole State; that was the true meaning of kultur. He predicted an early peace, :hen German kultur would conquer he globe, spread over all countries, ind be the distinctive stamp of the rnxt century. There would be Gernanisation of the world after the war.

FRENCH REPRISALS IMPROVE CONDITIONS.

(Received 28, 11.40 a.m.) Paris, Oct. 27. The French Government has published a report of the treatment of prisoners in France and in Germany showing how reprisals secured mitigation of the brutalities practised on prisoners. The French commenced feeding the Germans lavishly, but ■fchen detailed reports of the miserable conditions at the German prison camps arrived, Germany was informed that these methods would be altered unless better treatment was shown. For a fortnight the Germans did nothing, so the allowance of meat to German prisoners was reduced from 12ozs to 4|oz and bread 240 z to lOloz. Typical menus of the German camps were secured and duplicated m France. When the Germans stopped parcels and letters the French acted similarly, until the Germans altered their conduct. The Frenchmen however did not give decayed food or mix prisoners with others infected with typhus. The German commandant at* the camp at Cassel, met the French protests with the ferocious remark: “I make war my own way.” Several cases of murder have been recorded including a soldier who was bayonetted for misunderstanding an order. Savage tortures included brushing bare flesh until blood flowed.

The report includes many photographs and German letters.

I Lord Beresford said he always thought the German Government wanted to involve America in the war so as to enable her to say that she could not fight the whole world. Also, America would be of considerable assistance in a peace conference. It was a serious statement to make, but he maintained that America was aiding and abetting the shameful and wholesale torpedoings at sight which were endangering many lives. The torpedoing of merchantmen was becoming more serious. We should take notice thereof. FOREIGN MINISTER’S REPLY. Viscount Grey replied that we had no undertaking with America as to what information she had or what she would do with it when she obtained it. We could only get information from the officers of the sunk merchantmen. The Government could not answer Lord Sydenham until it possessed all the facts. He 1 understood that the American and | German Governments were discus- . sing the subject. It was inadvisable to raise the subject in the House. He especially deprecated the discussion of American policy. LLOYD’S WAR RISK RATES. [“ THE TIMES.”] I (Received 28, 8.50 a.m.) j London, Oct. 27. War risk rates are as follow:— Atlantic 20/-, others 40/-, Cape Route 40/-, United Kingdom to Scandanavia 100/-.