THE GREAT WAR ON LAND AND SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE GREAT WAR ON LAND AND SEA.

"KbljiL* ON THE HIGH SEAS," WITH THE APPROVAL AND UNDER THE DIRECTION OP THE GERMAN ADMIRALTY: THE SINKING OF THE LINER ' FALABA BY THE'%36 ON MARCH 23. The ontward-hound Elder Dempster liner Falaba, of .4800 tons, left Liverpool ,on Mare!. 27, and the following day. about midday, when off the Pembrokeshire coast, encountered a German submarine, ihich signalled to her to stop. Escape was impossible— the submarine steamed 18 knots to the Falaba's 14—and tho captain gave orders to launch the boats. Before -this operation could be, accomplished the submarine tired a torpedo, blowing one of the boats to piece*, and sinking the vessel within ten minutes. About 140 of the victims were picked up by trailers, but some died as a result of their lengthy immersion, and the total of lives lost is estimated at 111, including several women. The worst feature of the outrage was the callous behaviour of the submarine's crew, who.-, far from attempting to assist the drowning persons, laughed and jeered at them as they struggled in the water. The story would be well-nigh incredible were it not confirmed by the testimony of a number of the survivors, and did it not fit in'with the conduct of the German Navy on other occasions, notably at the battle of Coronel, when, it may be remembered, von Spec's squad ion sailed through our drowning' blue'jackets and—against all the traditions.'of the tea—made no attempt to save a single life. • —Graphic y