SUBMARINES AND SHIPPING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17322, 23 May 1918, Page 5

SUBMARINES AND SHIPPING

ITALIAN CONFIDENCE. MEDITERRANEAN MENACE MASTERED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 21. The Italian Minister of Marine, interviewed by Mr Ward Price, journalist, stated: " There is good reason to believe that we are masters of the submarine situation in the Mediterranean. The Allied fleets have destroyed a great many tJ boats, despite the difficulties, which are greater in the Mediterranean than in, the North Sea. "The naval situation in the Mediterranean may be regarded with confidence. The Austrian navy shows no signs of turning out, but it would find us well prepared if it did. There are rumours that the Germans intend to fit out Russian vessels for raids Into the /Egean Sea from the Black Sea, but the probabilities of their achieving success are small." ITALIAN ADMIRAL'S STATEMENT. WASHINGTON, May 21. (Received May 23, at 1 a.m.) The United Press correspondent has interviewed AUmiral Dolbono at Venice. The admiral stated that enemy submarines in the Mediterranean were being mastered. A great many ~had been sunk. U BOAT ATROCITIES. NORWEGIAN FISHING BOATS SUNK. Reutor's Telegrams. CHRIST! ANIA, May 21. Advices from Northern Norwegian ports give particulars of further U boat atrocities in the Arctic Ocean. Nearly 50 fishing boats have been sunk or are missing carrying crews totalling 500 men. ' In one case 22 men were brought to Yandagubba in a mail boat engaged in carrying passengers and mails between Vandoe and Russia, and the vessel was fired upon in Vaiidagubba Harbour, and 10, including two women, were killed. The submarine commander declared his intention of sinking all Norwegian fishingboats, because their oil catches were destined for England. This is untrue, as the export of oil is prohibited. • A telegram from Hammerfest states that the sinking of fishing vessels is bein<r accompanied by the customary murders ol members of their crews after thev have taken to the boats. OSTEND AND ZEEBRUGGE. THEIR ABANDONMENT PROBABLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, .May 21' (Received May 22, at 7.30 p.m ) A report from Berlin states that Zeebnigge and Ostend are so damaged that they will have to be abandoned as submarine bases. DUTCH SAILINGS PROHIBITED. NO EXPLANATION GIVEN. Router's Telegrams. LONDON, Mav 21. (Received May 'A2, at 7.30 p.m.) neuter's Hague correspondent states tluit a H sailings of Dutch ships from Dutch ports, except sailing vessels and coastal craft, have been prohibited. No explanation is so far forthcoming. NOT QUITE " SI'URLOS VERSENKT." SAILING VESSEL SALVED. . LAS VALMAS, Mav .22. (Received May 23, at 0.50 a.m.) Ihe Spanish sailing vessel Joaquina has been brought in. It was found drifting as a derelict close to the African, coast, with signs of gunshot damage by a submarine. The fate of the crew is unknown.