ON THE SEAS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 285, 17 November 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEAS.

SUBMARINE FRIGHTFULNESS. IS IT MORE SERIOUS THAN ADMITTED ? SUPPRESSION GROWS MORE DIFFICULT. [AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN.] London, Nov. 16. Lord Sydenhan asked Government in the House of Lords for a definite declaration of their policy on behalf of the Allies with regard to the monstrous proceedings of German submarines. There was an uneasy feeling in the country 7 that the submarine menace was more serious than the authorities admitted. He would like the Government to make a declaration as to exacting ton for ton. They should also give greater freedom to the fleet. Lord Beresford said that the Foreign Office had entirely taken over the national policy, and handicapped the navy’s work. We had abandoned the policy 7 of attack and submitted that of defence. The mercantile marine was in great danger, and food and material supplies in peril. The board of Admiralty must be strengthened by the introduction of new blood and younger men from the sea.

Lord Crewe said it would be useless to say that we would exact this or that reparation unless we were able to impose terms of peace by obtaining a complete victory. The only voice which could speak with authority 7 now was that of the cannon’on the Allied fronts. The misdeeds of the submarmes were only a small part of Germany’s crimes. There was the sinking of the Lusitania, the murders of Miss. Cavell and Captain Fryatt, and the Belgian and Polish atrocities. Before anything can be done we must complete our victory. The Government was making the necessary preparations to arm the mercantile marine. The Admiralty had been singularly successful in the destruction of submarines, but the difficulties in dealing with them had increased. A GERMAN RUSE. TO EXPLAIN THE ARABIC OUTRAGE. (Received 17, 12.10 p.m.) London, Nov. 16. A Berlin official message states that a German submarine sank by means of a torpedo on the 6th inst., a hostile transport of 12,000 tons eight sea miles west of Malta. The British Admiralty 7 states this announcement is an obvious attempt to explain away the outrageous inhuman act of torpedoing a mail steamer without warning. The only ship sunk in the Mediterranean on the 6th inst. was the Arabic, sunk 300 miles east of Malta. THE GERMAN EXCUSE. MERELY A WAR. ON CONTRABAND. [AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSN.] (Received 17, 8.55 a.m.) New York, Nov. 16. _ The “New York Times’” Berlin correspondent sends by 7 _ wireless message the report of an interview with the Secretary of State, Herr von Zimmermann, who said the Germans were not sinking neutral merchantmen per se, but as a defensive

measure. The armament of several British merchantmen had been used to attack submarines, therefore armed merchantmen cannot be considered peaceful trade vessels. Germany was merely seeking to stop contraband shipments to the enemy. Neutrals have their remedy by discontinuing the carrying of contraband.