GERMAN BLOCKADE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 31 March 1915, Page 5

GERMAN BLOCKADE

(Puss Association.—Copyright.)

TORPEDOING OF THE FALABA 100 LIVES 6EUEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST DROWNING PEOPLE JEERED AT. STEAMER'S CREW MAINTAIN PERFECT DISCIPLINE. TiONDON, March 30. The Elder, Dempster liner Falaba, which, was sunk in Milford Haven, sighted the'TJ36 at noon on Sunday. The steamer was going at 13 knots, and the submarine followed like a greyhound. It sent np a rocket as a signal to stop, and also a wireless message. Xt came within hailing distance after three-guarters of an hour's chase, and trained its gun on the Falaba. Captain. Davis, seeing there was no chance of escape, stopped,. and was given. 10 minutes to launch the boats. Lifebelts were distributed, and the passengers were getting into the boats, in an orderly fashion when the submarine, 100 yards away with her nose pointing to 'midships, launched. a torpedo. One boat was, half-way down the davits; full of passengers. The davits broke, and the boat fell into the water. Many of those on board the Falaba, seeing the torpedo coming, ran forward and - escaped. The! crew of the ; Falaba maintained perfect discipline throughout. The captain. remained on the bridge, and gave three blasts of the syren as a. farewell as the vessel sank. Later ho was picked np, still grasping- the ship's papers, but h© did not survive. The wireless operator stayed at his post- to the- end, endeavouring to. communicate with Land's End. He sucand reported to the captain that two destroyers were coming to the rescued . r The-submarine watched the ship srnk-

ing, and circled amid the drowning people, the sailors on. its deck waving. their hands'and -jeering when. the. drowning ' people; came up in the choppy sea- ana tried to graspjboats and wreckage.When til© Falaba sank the submarine submerged.. and disappeared, going towards" IrelandSome of the passengers were swimming for an hour before ! >eing picked up. The} torpedo struck between the tnird and fourth hatches, exploding a quantity of ammunition. Bundles of mails V/ere blown- into the air. , A stewardess was killed outright. Fifty people were. standing - n the Soop unable to escape, and many must ave been killed. Terrible scenes followed. Many of -the crew' were still below. The boats which -were .in the water before the torpedo streak* were- launched safely, but the others were swamped or smashed against the sides. Leaking badly, they sank in 20 -minutes, drowning 20 out of the 30 occupants. Of nine women on board the Falaba six" were saved. The others, despite entreaties, refused to get into the boats before they were lowered into the sea, and ;were thus drowned. The survivors were in the boats for three hours. The fact that the Eileen Emma had been" following the submarine along enabled 135 persons to be saved. THe Eileen Emma picked-up 110, and another trawler 25 survivors, who were later transferred to a destroyer. There were 140 passengers, chiefly traders,'merchants, and Government officials. TEe passengers state that they owe their Eves to the self-sacrifice of the officers and crew. An outward-bound boat may have picked up a few survivors. The total number of deaths is not known, but it is at present believed to be 100. "WIRELESS OPERATOR GETS ONE ■MESSAGE AWAY. FURTHER MESSAGES FORBIDDEN. (Rec. March 31, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 30. A survivor states that the wireless operator on the Falaba sent a message to Land's End-that the Falaba had 'been torpedoed, and that the passengers and ■crew had taken (to the boats. The sub; marine then interrupted with her wireless, and forbade the sending of more -messages.

LIFE ON A SUBMARINE

DESCRIBED BY A GERMAN COMMANDER. - -LONDON, March 30. Hansen, commandeir of the Ulo, • interviewed atKiel, said each German eubjn ayrtw Had - area* His was recently in. the Channel. He had been out for 21 days, bnt he declined to say whe-

ther this was the record. The Germans were gradually learning the methods of submarine warfare, which was very trying to the nerves. As the air heated it became poor, and (mixed with the odours of oil the atmosphere was fearful. Overpowering sleepiness often attacked new men, requiring the utmost will power to remain awake. Sometimes newcomers did not eat for three days, because they did not want to lose a moment's sleep. The bad air also produced seasickness. There we:e no fires on board submarines, because they would burn the oxygen. The crews always had cold food, in order to avoid waste of electricity. They steered entirely by chart and compass. Hansen continued: "I sometimes stood for eight hours with my eyes glued to the periscope. When the crew were worked out we submerged and had a lon<r sleep. Before ascending X always ordered silence for several minutes, to determine whether there were propellers in the vicinity. # The shell-like sides of the submarine act as a. soundingboard." j

" THE BULLYING OF HOLLAND"

WHAT IS GERMANY'S OBJECT? LONDON, March 28. The '"Times," in a leading article entitled "The Bullying of Holland," says: "We are in the presence of deliberate German attempts to apply the principle of frightfulness to neutral shipping—especially Dutch shipping 1 . The Dutch Press rightly observes that the German blockade practices against England go far -beyond any action of Britain against neutral countries trading with Germany. Can it ibe Germany's intention to goad Holland into an attitude of settled hos-, tility towards Germany? We fail to perceive any advantage the Germans can hope to derive." Feeling in Holland is greatly perturbed over the sinking of the Medea, which isdescribed as an act of arbitrary violence, j The country is demanding complete compensation from Germany.