THE OSTERLEY'S PERILOUS TRIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16591, 14 January 1916, Page 6

THE OSTERLEY'S PERILOUS TRIP.

DODGING LURKING SUBMARINES. IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE. DUTCH VISITOR'S! OPINIONS. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 13. That a «aomewhat anxious, as well as an exciting time, was experienced by tie passengers by the liner Osterley (luring her run through the Mediterranean, is narrated by Mr E. K. Mulgan, who_ returned to Auckland yesterday from a trip to Great Britain, Mr Mulgan travelled by the Osterley from London to Sydney, and passed in .the vicinity of the spot where the Arabic was torpedoed by an Austrian submarine.. "Shortly after leaving Gibraltar, said Mr Mulgan, "wo had the exciting experience of encountering an enemy submarine, ii was quite dark and the vessel was steaming full speed ahead, when suddenly lights were noticed on tho port bow at a distance ahead of what appeared to be several hundred yards. The who suspected that the lights came from a submarine, decided to take no risks and quickly swung tho steamer round, and made off in the_ opposite direction. The captain's quiolc action probbably saved the steamer from being torpedoed. for it was ascertained later that the lights seen were actually those of an enemy submarine. There were about 1000 passengers on board, including 150 children. "Some time later," continued Mr Mulgan, " the Osterley touched at Toulon. The same day a vessel was torpedoed some little distance from the entrance to the harbour. In consequence the liner was delayed for some hours, and left at night, simultaneously with several torpedo boats. There wore at least three other submarines operating in the Mediterranean, one to the north of the Straits of Messina, another between Malta and the -northern coast of Africa, and the third between Lemnos and Port Said. On several occasions at night the ship picked up 'wireless messages from these submarines. Submarines were not 'on p tho look-out for passenger steamers, so much as for vessels transporting troops to Salonika. Tho Osterley passed through the Straits of Messina, and, while doing &o, orders were issued to closo all portholes, the reason apparently being that in tho event- of the vessel being torpedoed the inrush of water would be lessened. The passengers behaved admirably throughout this anxious time, but all were very much relieved when Port Said was reached." According to Messrs G. W. Dentekom and 11. Koppel, two young- Dutchmen who are visiting Auckland, the Allies enjoy tho warmest sympathies of Holland. They state that since the inauguration of Germany's submarine campaign, this feeling had been greatly strengthened. Holland, it was stated, is taking risks, and although strictly neutral, she had mobilised 300,000 men, and within 24 hours of the outbreak of war between Austria and Serbia her frontiers were manned. Since then the number of men in training had been increased. The old law whereby the requirements of tho army were filled'by drawing lots—a system which allowed many eligible men to go free of service—had been abolished. Today every available man was in training, and although commercial pursuits of peace were not disorganised Holland's war strength would be 1,500.000 men. Every engineering shop having fittings suitable for the manufacture of munitions was now required to producc a certain quantity o; munitions periodically, apart from its ordinary business. Queen Wilhelmina had tho greatest interest in the preparations for defence. The fact that her husband, Prince Heinrich, was Duke of Mecklenburg, in Germany, was regarded as of no consequence, as he possessed nn power in Holland. Questioned as to the effects of the British blockade, the visitors said that the Dutch wore not in any way dissatisfied. At first there was considerable trouble, and tho cost of living was greatly increased. Since then, with tho consent of tho Allies, contraband material required for tho continuance of Dutch trade was allowed to enter the country. Dutch merchants could imprfrt material, such as rubber, in such quantities • as would meet normal requirements. No excess was allowed, and thus supplies for Germany wore cut off, without affecting Dutch trade to a serious degree. Dutch ships were guid(?d bv British trawlers through the British minefields, and everything was done to facilitate shipping, except that only daylight sailings were allowed. With trade between Holland and Germanv being so largely restricted by tho British blockade, tho visitors said that Dutch merchants had turned thoir attention to capturing German oversea trade. Tho oversea commerce in America and in the Mediterranean had greatly increased, as indeed had the whole commerce of tho country. Shipbuilding was progressing, and new ships would shortly be trading between Holland and America. It was also hoped to make a, bid for a sharo of Australian and Now Zealand trade.