THE LINER BREMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23991, 14 December 1939, Page 9

THE LINER BREMEN

BACK AT BREMERHAVEN SUBMARINE ENCOUNTERED SAVED BY AIR ESCORT (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 13. , (Received Dec. 13, at 10 p.m.) The British United Press Hamburg correspondent states he was reliably informed that the Bremen docked at Bremerhaven. A German high command communique says a British submarine tried to attack the Bremen in the North Sea, but one of the aircraft sent to protect the Bremen forced the submarine to submerge. Thereby the attack on the Bremen was prevented. This differs importantly from the Berlin News Agency statement. ADMIRALTY’S REPORT THE RULES OF WARFARE LONDON, Dec. 12. An Admiralty communique states that a British submarine reported that the Bremen passed within torpedo range while homeward bound.- The

rules of sea warfare, of course, precluded the submarine from torpedoing the Bremen without warning. A naval expert explains that international law prohibits the sinking of a merchant ship without warning and without making provision for those aboard reaching safety in open boats. The Bremen was possibly too far from land for those aboard thus to reach safety. The submarine could not accommodate them, moreover, it could not take a ship of such a size as prize owing to the speed of the liner. Finally the Gpemen was armed. The submarine’s action in not torpedoing contrasts with German violations of international law. The enemy does not hesitate to torpedo even neutral vessels, leaving passengers and crew to their fate. The German official news agency in Berlin announces that the Bremen arrived safely in German waters. It admits that a British submarine approached the Bremen within torpedo range in the North Sea, but was forced to submerge by a German aeroplane, which was not convoying the liner. “ It was the submarine’s bad luck that the >ane happened to see her.” it was stated.